刍议英语委婉语的起源及其社会交际功能 [5]
论文作者:游芳颖论文属性:短文 essay登出时间:2009-04-06编辑:黄丽樱点击率:7661
论文字数:4356论文编号:org200904061058157169语种:英语 English地区:中国价格:免费论文
关键词:[ origincommunicative functionevasioncosmetic functionpoliteness起源交际功能避讳礼貌掩饰
mple, in English there are many elegant expressions for “going to WC”, such as: to wash one’s hand, to spend a penny, to go and see one’s aunt, to answer the call of nature, because nature calls, etc. [11]
“The topic concerning being pregnant is touchy because it tends to arouse the association with sexual behaviors. ‘To beat round bushes’ is very necessary, such as “with child”, “anticipating”, “excepting” for “pregnant”, etc.[12] Talking about sexual intercourse is taboo. Expressions relating to sex have heavily been veiled for the purpose of avoiding awkwardness and offense. So people use euphemistic words to talk about it. For example, people evade saying “hip” directly which is replaced with “buttock”, “bottom”, “one’s thing”, and “secret parts” donates sex organs of both males and females.[13]
4.1.4 In terms of old age
English and Chinese have different feelings about “old age”. A Chinese is proud of being old, whereas a westerner will feel irritated and even insulted at mentioning his oldness. In English culture, people do not describe others as or to be described as “old” because the old, who no longer work, are ignored by society. Therefore, people create “the second childhood golden years, senior citizen, gray hair, mature golden age” when they refer to “old age” in which it attempts to conceal the fact of becoming old and avoid arousing old people’s sad feeling of aging. [14]
4.2 The polite function of English euphemism.
Politeness is another important function that euphemisms serve in the social life. Politeness is the symbol of human’s civilization and one of the important principles guiding people’s activities. As a kind of significant social activity, language activity must observe this principle, too. When we have to talk something unpleasant, we should choose euphemistic way to express in order not to hurt others. Being polite is a reasonable action that anyone who is keen on face-saving will take. The polite function of euphemism is tried to avoid being harsh or impolite in the communication. In other words, euphemisms are to minimize impolite expressions and maximize polite expressions. For instance, when a teacher comments on a student’s moral conducts and school work in front of the student or his or her parent, he or she should report the fact on one hand, and on the other hand should take into consideration the student’s psychological endurance and the parent’s face. So the euphemistic way to express might be “The student is a bit slow for his or her age” instead of “The student is stupid”. [15]
The polite function of English euphemism is embodied in every occupational language. Occupational discrimination gives people pressure and emotional irritation. Although euphemisms cannot uproot this kind of phenomenon, at least, they can give them some psychological comfort by upgrading of career name. Therefore, “engineer, manager, etc.” have become more and more fashionable. “Dustman” is changed to “sanitary engineer”; “mechanic” to “automobile engineer”, “gardener” to “landscape architect”, “shoemaker” to “shoe rebuilder”[16] In English, there are many adjectives about people’s appearance, such as “good looking, handsome, pretty, charming, attractive”, etc. They are all commendatory words. When talking about someone who is not pretty, we cannot use “ugly” or ‘awfully’. We had better use some euphemisms such as “plain, ordinary, not particularly looking”, etc. instead of them. So euphemism’s polite function ca
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