英语委婉语的语用研究_英语论文

Pragmatic study of English Euphemism

摘要

委婉语作为一种在人类社会中普遍存在的语言文化现象，在日常生活中被人们广泛运用。它作为一种有效的润滑剂，能够在人们谈及那些令人不愉快或者尴尬的事情时，以一种较为温和、礼貌的说法缓解尴尬和不愉快。使用委婉语能够帮助人们建立和谐友好的人际关系。许多中外学者已经对委婉语进行过多方面的研究。

为了揭示委婉语的普遍规律，更好的理解语言中委婉语的特殊性，本文将参照中外学者研究成果，拟从委婉语的定义、特点以及其四个语用功能方面对委婉语进行介绍与分析，即：禁忌功能、礼貌功能、幽默功能、掩饰功能。同时将简要分析委婉语在英语教学中和日常生活中的的运用及影响。并对教师日常教学给出参考建议。本文的主要研究方法是文献研究法以及观察法，通过查阅文献、书籍等，获得与本研究课题相关的资料，从而较为全面的掌握所要研究的问题。

关键词：委婉语 语用功能 社会生活 教育运用

Abstract

English euphemism as a common linguistic and cultural phenomenon, which is so widely used in our daily communication. It acts as an effective lubricating oil that can erase those disgusting, terrifying and embarrassing situations in a mild and polite way in order to help people built a harmonious relationship with each other. There are many scholars had studied euphemism from many aspects.

In order to revolve the general laws of euphemism, to reach a better understanding to it. This paper will consult the previous research and introduce the euphemism form it’s definition, characteristics and four pragmatic functions including taboo functions, polite functions, humor functions and covering up functions. At the same time a brief analysis will be given on the application of the euphemism in English teaching and in our daily life. And give some advice to teachers for their daily teaching. The main research methods of this paper are literature research method and observation method. For having a better grasp of the research object,  materials will be collected through reviewing literature, books and so on. 

Key words: euphemism  pragmatic function  social life  application in education   

Contents

1.Introduction 5

2.Definition of euphemism 5

3.Characteristics of English euphemism 6

3.1 Feature of indirection or implicitness 6

3.2 Feature of times 6

3.3 Feature of region 7

3.4 Feature of universality 7

4.Pragmatic functions of euphemism 7

4.1 The function of being avoiding taboo 8

4.1.1 Taboo for death 8

4.1.2 Taboo for poverty 9

4.1.3 Taboo for job 9

4.1.4 Physical disability 10

 4.1.5 Taboo for pregnancy and Eros 10

4.2 The function of being polite 11

4.2.1 Euphemism for age 11

4.2.2 Euphemism for communication 12

4.2.3 Euphemism for toilet 12

4.3 The function of being humorous and ironic 13

4.4 The function of covering up 13

5.The application of English euphemism in education 14

6.Conclusion 16

7.References 17