A Study on English Euphemism
Euphemism is defined in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English(1978)as¡°(an example of)the use of a pleasanter£¬less direct name for something thought to be unpleasant.¡± The New Edition of the Oxford Concise Dictionary (1976) defines euphemism as ¡°Substitution of mild or vague or roundabout expression for harsh or direct one; expression that substituted.¡±
Euphemism is to use a polite or vague word or phrase used to replace another word or phrase that is thought of as too direct or rude. The word euphemism comes from the Greek eu, good, and pheme, speech or saying, and thus means literally to speak with good words or in a pleasant manner.
1. Characteristics of Euphemism
Euphemism£¬as a language phenomenon£¬has some special characteristics. To succeed in learning a language£¬learners of the language should pay much attention to the following features of euphemism.
1 .1 Universality
In almost all cultures there are certain......
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Approximate Word Count: 1618
Approximate Pages: 7 (260 words per double-spaced page) |