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Ⅱ. The Character of Euphemism
2.1 The Definition of Euphemism
Verbal communication is one of the most important methods people apply to maintain the social relationship. In order to avoid the offensiveness in communication, people usually use some polite or pleasant words to replace the rude or embarrassing ones. Therefore, euphemism emerges.
Euphemism is a common linguistic phenomenon in all cultures; it takes an very important role in peoples daily communication. Euphemism is originated from the Greek(1650-60). Greek euphemismos the use of words of good omen, equivalent to eu-eu+phem speaking, fame +-ismos-ism. Its prefix “eu” means good, pleasant, and its root “pheme” means speech. Thus, euphemism literally means “to speak with good words or in a pleasant manner” (Neaman and Silver, 1990:32). According to Allan and Burridge (1991:11), the definition of euphemism is: A euphemism is used as an alternative to a dispreferred expression, in order to avoid possible loss of face: either ones own face or through going offense, that of the audience, or of some third party. Many people have defined euphemism. There are some definitions of euphemism below:
(1) Mild or vague expression substituted for a harsher or more direct one. (Pocket Oxford English-Chinese Dictionary, Oxford University Press, 1996)
(2) An inoffensive word or phrase substituted for or one considered offensive or hurtful, especially one concerned with religion, sex, death, or extra. Examples or euphemisms are sleep with for have sexual intercourse with; departs for dead; relieve oneself for urinate (Word English Dictionary, Collins English Dictionary-complete &Unabridged 10th Edition, 2009)
(3) (an example of) the use of a more pleasant, less direct name for something thought to be unpleasant. (Longman English-Chinese Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman Group UK Limited, 1988)
(4) An agreeable word or expression substituted for one that is potentially offensive, often having to do with bodily functions, sex, or death; for example, rest room for toilet, lady of the evening for prostitute. The Nazis used euphemism in referring to their plan to murder the word’s Jews as “the Final Solution” (Culture dictionary, The American Heritage, New Dictionary of cultural Literacy, 2004)
(5) Rhetorical trope: a pleasant replacement for an objectionable word that has
Pejorative connotations. (Routledge Dictionary of Language and Linguistics, FLERP, 2000)
In China, Chen Wangdao (陈望道，1890-1977) in his《修辞学发凡》,the definition being that euphemism as a figure of speech in which roundabout and implicit words and expressions are used to substitute direct expressions to hint the meaning(即用委曲含蓄的话来烘托暗示) “Weiwan (委婉)” is a figure of speech in Chinese. It is also called “wanqu (婉曲)” or “wanzhuan(婉转)”. Another synonyms in Chinese is called “bihui (避讳)” or “huishi (讳饰)”. No matter how different they are called, they express the same meaning and play the same role.