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1、English Euphemisms in the Intercultural CommunicationIntroductionEnglish 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 comm
2、unications 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
3、 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 soc
4、ial 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
5、 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 on
6、ly 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
7、, 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. 21. Definition and Features of English Euphemism1.1 Definition of English Euphemi
8、smEuphemism is a universal linguistic phenomenon. In the process of communication, the unsuitable or too direct words will make people feel uncomfortable and even angry. Then there is a great necessity for us to express our emotion and exchange ideas in a tactful way. It is known that euphemism is a
9、 form of language intentionally created in social communication to achieve ideal purposes. (王莉, 1988.)The word “euphemism” was derived from the Greek word “euphemisms”, which means “fair speech”. The prefix “eu” means “good, sound well” and “pheme” means “saying” or “speech”. And thus the literal me
10、aning of “euphemism” is “to speak with good words or in a pleasant manner”. That is to say, euphemism is used as an alternative for unpleasant expression. In Websters Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, it is the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one t
11、hought substituted. Rawson Blunt, a British writer, defined euphemism as “a good favorable interpretation of a bad word.” Encyclopedia Britannica also defines euphemism as “a figure of speech in which something of an unpleasant, distressing or indelicate nature is described in less offensive terms”.
12、From the above mentioned, we could clearly see that euphemism is characterized by avoidance language and evasive expression. It is one form of language and a linguistic phenomenon.1.2 Features of English Euphemism1.2.1Indirect and ImplicitThe most important character of euphemism is indirect and imp
13、licit. Euphemism always gives people hints in a roundabout way. We can infer the deeper meaning and intention from the context.1.2.2 UniversalityUniversality is something that is well-known and accepted by all of the people. Though euphemism is indirect and it doesnt come straight to the point, peop
14、le can easily infer its deeper implication. Some taboos connected with sex, death, or body functions are replaced by euphemisms. And the public has accepted this kind of use. 31.2.3 The Feature of TimesThe changes of language depend on the need and changes of the society. And euphemism undergoes a p
15、rocess of metabolism. It bears a marked brand of times.1.2.4 Regional FeatureThere are two causes of regional differences. First is a regional cultural difference. In different regions, the culture there will effect the development of euphemism. Second is the difference of geographic environments. 1
16、.2.5 Diversity of Lingual RegionSomeone thinks that only upper and middle class use euphemism. But this conclusion is too absolute. We can analyze it from three aspects:The difference of gender and age usually influence the choice of the synonyms of euphemism. Difference of profession or identity also plays an important part. Euphemism changes while the profession and identity change. This is a synchrony variation. Difference of style or context is another aspect. Euphemism is restricted by
