euphemism讲解.ppt

委婉语 Content Importance Definition Function Characteristics Formation Why Euphemism is a common phenomenon when people use language , which is not only a social language phenomenon, but it is also a cultural phenomenon. We all need to communicate in our daily life or in diplomacy. However, because of the difference of life habit or custom and the taboo of different culture, we must learn to use euphemism to avoid embarrassment or unhappiness. Only when can we know how to make use of euphemism in different background and environment ,we can use the proper euphemism to minimize hurt to people and to achieve the purpose of effective communicative euphemism reflects all kinds of social mentality and social communicative function. Euphemism Traditional Euphemisms: is closely related with the taboo. Such as disease, death, burial, sex, bare. The direct expression is taboo, the sense that gives a person is coarse, stiff, harsh, rude. Conversely, indirect expression is the euphemism, the impression is elegant, subtle, pleasant, polite. Stylistic Euphemisms:also known as actually flattery, adulation .In order to show politeness , avoid stimulation, or to seek cooperation, sometimes decorate some unpleasant things. 一. Definition英语中委婉语（euphemism）一词源于古希腊语 Old Greeek 。在古希腊语中，“ eu－”的意思是 “well（好）”，而词干 stem “－ pheme ”的意思是“speech，saying（言语）”，“－ism”是一个词后缀，简单地说，euphemism的意思是“fair speech（说好话）”。美国著名作家门肯称委婉语为镀金词（gilded words），还有人把它说成化妆词（cosmetic words），这是对委婉语含义和作用的形象描述。委婉语源远流长，它的产生与语言禁忌有关。在英国，委婉语的使用至少可以追溯到11世纪。当时已经有雅词和秽词之分，“雅词”就是英语委婉语的前身。因此我们说委婉语是一种修辞格，更是一种文化现象，是人们在社交中为了谋求一种理想效果所创造出来的一种适当的语言形式。 二. Functions 1．Taboo 避讳 （1）对pregnant及sex的避讳。 人们通常不直接提及生育，而是委婉地说成to come into the world（来到人世），而怀孕 （pregnancy）则被婉称为anticipating or expecting（期待的）、eating for two（吃两份饭）等，因为女子怀孕 （pregnant）与性（sex）有着必然的联系；人们还用natural child（自然之子）、baby of love（爱情之子）等来指illegitimate child（私生子）等。 （2）对senility的避讳。 衰老终将使人走向死亡，因此人们习惯于将old age（老年时期）说成golden age（黄金时代）；将old people（老年人）称为adult（成年人）或senior citizen（资深公民）等。 （3