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Dai Congteng carried out comparative analyses on English and Chinese euphemisms in his two articles A Comparative Study of English &Chinese Euphemisms(2002:103-106) and Intercultural Studies of Chinese and English Euphemisms(2003:93-96). He made an emphasis on the context of euphemisms as well as translating euphemisms according to the context.
Xu Lina made a research on euphemism and euphemism translation by applying pragmatic and textual strategies and her knowledge on cross-cultural communication in Pragmatic and Textual Approaches to Euphemism in Translation (2003:15-19).
Zhu Jinping gave a comparison of English and Chinese euphemisms and discussed their translation in The Comparison of Chinese and English Euphemisms and Their Translation(2007:67-69). He probes that the way to realize the faithfulness in translating English euphemism into Chinese through contrasting the euphemism in the two languages.
Ji Hailong claimed in his Intercultural Study of Euphemisms in Chinese and English (2008:54-58) that ‘‘because of different cultures, the origins of euphemism in Chinese and English are different.’’ Since English-speaking countries are Christian-dominated, a number of English euphemism are related to religion. China lays much emphasis on class distinction, which has huge impact on Chinese euphemism. Differences in the use of euphemism concerning age are distinct, too. The Chinese respect the elderly a lot, so becoming elderly is a symbol of power and status. Therefore, understanding euphemism is significant for intercultural communication.
1.3 Thesis Structure
This paper focuses on the study on euphemism translation in Modern Family. Firstly, based on the previous studies both home and abroad, it lists some general functions of English Euphemism. Secondly, it makes a study of euphemism translation from the perspective of the significance, principles and existing problems. In euphemism translation, we should pay close attention to cultural factors. Thirdly, two theories of translation are briefly introduced to cope with the problems. Fourthly, it makes a case study on euphemism translation from the perspective of functional equivalence in Modern Family. Some strategies such as free translation, literal translation, addition, domestication are proposed to achieve the principle of achieving functional equivalence on euphemism translation.
2. General Functions of Euphemism
2.1 To Avoid Taboos
One of the main functions of English euphemism is to avoid taboos. In everyday life, there is something believed to be harmful and embarrassing to certain inpiduals, or to the society as a whole, or too disgusting and uncomfortable to be heard. Then people resort to euphemisms to talk about those things. Such tabooed topics include death, disabilities, disease, sex etc.