毕业论文 EnglishEuphemism英语.doc

英语修辞 Introduction English Euphemism, which is an indirect and roundabout expression employed to mention something unpleasant, is a form of language as well as a cultural phenomenon. With the development of society and economy, smooth and successful communications are playing a more and more important role in every social class and field, especially in the intercultural communication, of which the tactful usage of euphemism is the most essential part. Sometimes euphemisms are used for avoiding taboos; and sometimes they are used for being polite or considering the feelings of other people. The developing civilization of the society requires people to be more cultivated and polite, while euphemism is just such a polite and elegant expression used in place of a more common term which the user fears might be offensive. It is necessary in all social situations from everyday conversations to serious discussions. Any communicative principles would be impossible without the appropriate understanding and use of English euphemisms. Misunderstanding and improper use of euphemism may create communication barriers to intercultural communication. As we all know, any ignorance of different social customs and diverse cultural values may not only cause communicative obstacles, but also bring about prejudice, offence, even hostility, all of which are not the consequences we expect in the process of communication. So we know that language is not only the carrier of culture, but also the representative of it. In other words, language is influenced by culture, and in the meantime it reflects culture. In order to avoid the misunderstanding and conflict caused by communicative hinders, we have to know the euphemistic expressions of certain things, especially when communicating with others from multi-cultural backgrounds. Therefore, mastering a good knowledge of English euphemism and its diverse values in intercultural communication is of particular importance. 1. Definition and Featur