Euphemism 论文写作

论文写作课程论文

题目On the Formation and Classification of English

Euphemisms

院 （系） 外国语学院 专 业 英 语 年 级 2007级 学生姓名 王 铂 学 号 2007212472 指导教师 刘东虹

二O一一年一月

Contents

Abstract in Chinese …………………………………………………………… 1 Abstract in English ……………………………………………………………. 1 1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………. 2 2. Literature Review………….……….…………………………….....….…… 2 3. Formation of Euphemisms ……………. ….……….……….……….…. 3.1 Omission………….……….…………………………….....…. ….….…. 3.2 Adoption of acronyms or abbreviated words……….……….………. .…. 3.3 Adoption of fuzzy words….……………….……….…………….…. .…. 3.4 Substitution of synonyms………….……….………………………….…. 3.5 Application of analogy………….……….……………………………. … 3.6 Adoption of foreign words………….……….……………………….…. 3.7 Understatement………….……….…………………………….....…. .…. 3.8 Circuitous statements. ………….……….……………………….….….

3.9 Metaphor ………….……….…………………………….....….….….…. 3.10 Special sentence patterns to tone it mildly………….……….………… 4.Classification of Euphemisms………….……….………………………… 4.1 From the perspective of semantics………….……….…………………

4.2 From the perspective of appearance frequency………….……….…….… 4.3 From the perspective of the scopes of practical use………….……….… 4.3.1 Euphemisms on death………….……….…………………………. 4.3.2 Euphemisms on sex and pregnancy………….……….……………

4.3.3 Euphemisms on going to the toilet………….……….……………… 4.3.4 Euphemisms on physical appearance. ………….……….………… 4.3.5 Euphemisms on professions………….……….………………….… 4.3.6 Euphemisms on poverty and joblessness……….……….…………

4.3.7 Euphemisms on crimes………….……….………………….……… 4.3.8 Euphemisms on politics………….……….………………….……… 4.3.9 Euphemisms on war………….……….……………………….…… 4.3.10 Euphemisms on commerce………….……….……………….….

4.3.11 Euphemisms on addressing God and demon………….……….…

5. Conclusion………………………………………………………..…………..

Bibliography………………………………………………………...………….

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Abstract

The use of euphemism is a prevailing language phenomenon in human communication. And the correct use of euphemism can avoid embarrassment and unpleasantness during interpersonal communication, which leads to the successful social intercourse. In our current society, euphemism is used in every field, so it is of importance in English learning and application that learning euphemism well. The essay introduced the function and the application of euphemism, basing on these, summarized the formation and classification of euphemisms from a new stand, aiming to facilitate the correct and flexible use of euphemism.

Key words: euphemism; formation and classification; correct use

内容摘要

委婉语的使用是人类交往过程中非常普遍的一种语言现象。正确的使用委婉语可以避免人际交往的尴尬或不快，从而达到成功交往的目的。当今社会，委婉语已在各个领域被广泛地使用，因此学好英语中的委婉语对于我们的英语学习和英语应用有着重要的现实意义。文章介绍了委婉语的功能和运用，在此基础上总结了委婉语的构成与分类。主旨在帮助英语学习者避免委婉语的错误运用，促进中外双方交流的顺利准确。

关键词：委婉语；构成与分类;正确运用

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1. Introduction

Euphemism is originated from the Greek which means “good speech”. Today some western scholars even label it as “gilded speech” or the “cosmetic words”. Euphemisms can help eliminate rudeness and vulgarity and refine linguistic forms in interpersonal conversations, hence they are used extensively to facilitate the communications. English is abundant in euphemisms. English euphemisms are mild and indirect in tones, vivid and lively in effects. They have played an unsubstitutible role in daily interactions. This essay makes a brief probe into the formation and classification of euphemisms. Many experts (like Zola Stone) have elaborated on this topic from different perspectives, but their findings are either partial or incomplete. This thesis tries to give a complete classification of euphemisms from a new stand.

2. Literature Review

Generally speaking, many linguistics have made studies of the formation and classification of euphemism, but most of them made their studies from different stands, and their studies are all partly incomplete. For example, some study the classification from the forming principles (孙保国), while some from the aspect of everyday use(陈文乾). All these studies make the study of the classification so rich and splendid.

3. Formation of Euphemisms

Euphemisms can be achieved by a lot of means. This section will discuss in brief each type of methods.

3.1 Omission

By omitting some harsh words, we can make our words milder and gentler. For example, in public, we do not say “pregnant women”, instead, we are expected to say” She is expecting” or “She is in a delicate condition”..

3.2 Adoption of acronyms or abbreviated words.

For example we abbreviate water closet for “W.C”, body odor for “B.O” , cancer for “Big C”.

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3.3 Adoption of fuzzy words.

When we talk about something unpleasant, many fuzzy words are used to express our thoughts in a vague way to avoid to be offensive. If an unwed girl becomes pregnant, her neighbors may talk in this way: “She has an accident.” Vagina or penis is more frequently referred to the \

3.4 Substitution of synonyms

In order to praise someone and show our well meaning, we sue some synonymous words to substitute the original words. The synonyms usually are more positive than the replaced one. For instance, “economical” can be replaced by some other words, such as“ thrift”

3.5 Application of analogy.

This method is frequently seen people`jobs. are mentioned.

Street cleaner, is affectionately called “sanitation engineer” or “city beautician”; and the rat-catcher, affectionately referred as ” exterminating engineer”.

3.6 Adoption of foreign words.

The use of a foreign word to express the meaning is extensively found in actual practice, for example,” lingerie “(a French word.) is favored by most English-spoken people, rather than “women`s inside clothes”.

3.7 Understatement.

For example, \without permission\favored by many people, especially the burglars. This method can help decrees the negative impressions.

3.8 Circuitous statements.

A teacher`s assessment on one student can be \whose undertone is this student is too lazy. And to describe a cheating boy can be \depends on others too much to do his work\

3.9 Metaphor

To \

3.10 Special sentence patterns to tone it mildly.

English euphemisms can be achieved by the use of syntactic means, especially in conjunctive moods. Other sentence patterns include:

\\

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\

“What about going to the West Lake?”

All the ten methods above can help make your speech courteous and elegant.

4.classification of euphemisms.

Euphemisms can be classified into different types from different angles. This section chiefly touches upon three kinds of division.

4.1 From the perspective of semantics, euphemisms can be divided into three groups, ie, positive euphemisms, negative euphemisms and neutral euphemisms.

1) Positive euphemisms refer to the supplantation of humble words for agreeable or pleasant words. For example, when people talk about the cobbler we may most likely use the“shoe rebuilder” instead.

2) Negative euphemisms refer to the replacement of pejorative words for less offensive words. For example, people often do not say “a madhouse”, instead we tend to use “insane asylum” more frequently.

3) Neutral euphemisms refer to the substitution for a foreign word. 4.2 From the perspective of appearance frequency, euphemisms can be grouped as temporary euphemisms and general euphemisms.

1) Temporary euphemisms have a very limited circulation and time span , maybe just in a family or among a group of friends. For example one family happen to refer “euphemism” as the toilet, but the outsiders may totally feel at a loss about what they are talking about.

2) General euphemism refers to the fixed linguistic units during a certain period of time in a language community. As a rule, most of them can be traced in various dictionaries, such as \so on.

4.3 From the perspective of the scopes of practical use, euphemisms fall into ten groups.

4.3.1 Euphemisms on health

This kind o f Euphemisms originated from the early human civilization. To avoid the association of fear, helplessness and sorrow bounded with “death”, we often use euphemisms. as below:

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Direct expressions die Euphemisms pass away go to heaven pass away depart leave us go to sleep final sleep ceased to think gone to sleep - but for ever ill old under the weather advanced in age senior citizen golden age venerable people get on years pass one’s prime graveyard death penalty cancer memory garden final resting place capital punishment terminally ill 4.3.2.Euphemisms on sex and pregnancy

Direct expressions venereal disease illegitimate child free love menstruation homosexual pregnant Euphemisms social disease love child trial marriage have one’s periods gay, queer to be in a delicate condition, to spoil a woman’s shape, a lady – in waiting

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to have sex with to be in a family way go to bed with have physical contact with 4.3.3.Euphemisms on going to the toilet

acne deaf breast leg Direct expressions ugly skinny fat Euphemisms plain , homely Slender, slim weight-watcher plump ,stout out-size over-weight problem skin hard of listening bosom limb women’s lavatory men’s lavatory Direct expressions to urinate or defecate Euphemisms answer nature’s call wash one’s hands go to the bathroom do one’s business powder room gent’s 4.3.4.Euphemisms on physical appearance.

4.3.5.Euphemisms on professions

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Direct expressions undertaker cobbler gardener secretary plumber garbage collectors packing engineer Euphemisms mortician shoe rebuilder landscape architect administrative assistant heating engineer waste managers sanitation engineers porter 4.3.6.Euphemisms on poverty and joblessness.

Direct expressions in debt penniless slum living on dole poor unemployed Euphemisms in embarrassing obligation out of pocket sub-standard housing inner city on welfare benefits needy，deprived, disadvantaged unprivileged unwaged, between jobs laid off 4.3.7. Euphemisms on crimes

Direct expressions prison murder prostitution young criminal rape to be sent into

Euphemisms correctional centre executive action the oldest profession in the world juvenile delinquents criminal assault live at government 7

prison opium 4.3.8.Euphemisms on politics

Direct expressions strike wiretap invasion genocide embezzle riot industrial action intelligence gathering involvement final solution misuse public funds disturbance , civil disorder Euphemisms black stuff

4.3.9. Euphemisms on war

Direct expression old car a shortage of goods lower price

Direct expressions invision surprise strike retreat concentration camps Ministry of War Euphemisms preemptive action pre-emptive strikes strategic withdrawal phased withdrawal strategic villages Ministry of Defense 4.3.10.Euphemisms on commerce .

Euphemisms pre-owned car a low availability factor downgrade 8

economic

economic crisis expensive second-hand furniture readjustment Depression, recession premium-priced antiques 4.3.11. Euphemisms on addressing God and demon

Direct expressions God hell God damned the devil gee He heck darn the dickens, Old poker Old hardy Euphemisms 5.Conclusion

From the day they came into being, English euphemisms has been playing the role of social lubricator. Without them, the world will be full of conflicts and chaos. Since euphemisms play such an important role in language, it is a necessary for English learners have a good grasp of English euphemisms.

This paper mainly deals with the formation and classification of English euphemisms. Various methods have been used to form English euphemisms, including omission adoption of acronyms or abbreviated words, etc. The paper also tries to classify English euphemisms according to different criteria, and elaborates on it from the angle of practical use in details.

With the interaction with Western world is be becoming more and more frequent, euphemism as a cultural phenomena can not be ignored and needs further study.

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Bibliography

[1] Oxford Advanced Learner’s English-Chinese Dictionary [z]. Extended fourth edition. Beijing: The Commercial Press, 2002.p491

[2]Anonymity The Linguistic Requirement of Using Euphemisms of English and Chinese 中国期刊网

[3] Zola Stone Probe into English Rhetoric Commerce.

[5]孙保国 英语委婉语的分类及使用原则 开封教育学院外语系 中国期刊网 [6]孙艳 英语委婉语小议郑州航空工业管理学院 中国期刊网 [7]王芳 浅谈英语中的委婉语 合肥工业大学人文经济学院 中国期刊网 [8]孙丹. 英语委婉语解析[J]. 太原城市职业技术学院学报, 2003, 3.p154 [9]陈文乾. 英语委婉语的成因、构成方式及适用范围[J]. 经济与社会发展

-----Euphemism 山下英语角网

[4] Donglin Feng Euphemism-----a mirror of Social Life Tianjin University of

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