Euphemism： Development and its Social Value in Intercultural Communication

Euphemism is a common linguistic phenomenon, which is closely related to culture backgrounds, religious thoughts, life styles, etc. A short introduction to euphemism in English and Chinese will benefit our future intercultural communication. Lots of scholars had studied euphemism from various ways. Such as linguistic, social-linguistic, rhetoric view, pragmatics and so on. From all those studies, we can easily found out that the development of euphemism have a stong relationship with the development of taboo words more or less. In this paper, the author elaborates this topic from their relationship. At the very beginning, a semantic definition and classification were given. a basic knowledge of comparison about taboo words in English and Chinese gave us a basic meaning of the existence of euphemism. Euphemisms are the substance of taboo words. From the relationship of taboos and euphemisms illustrates the national characters in English and Chinese euphemisms. There are religious characters in English euphemisms and class characters in Chinese euphemisms. We know that the communication between us should under the principle of cooperation. But the differences between different culture background, age, sex, status and positions always make the principle out of effect. So euphemism can do a lot to maintain people's social status in our today's society, especially in intercultural communication. A preoccupation about euphemism can avoid some embarrassments in intercultural communication. If we want success in our future profession, a clear knowledge of euphemism is necessary.

Euphemism:Development and its Social Value in Intercultural Communication

Euphemism is a common linguistic phenomenon,which is closely related to culture backgrounds,religious thoughts,life styles,etc.A short introduction to euphemism in English and Chinese will benefit our future intercultural communication.Lots of scholars had studied euphemism from various ways.Such as linguistic,social-linguistic,rhetoric view,pragmatics and so on.From all those studies,we can easily found out that the development of euphemism have a stong relationship with the development of taboo words more or less.In this paper,the author elaborates this topic from their relationship.At the very beginning,a semantic definition and classification were given,a basic knowledge of comparison about taboo words in English and Chinese gave us a basic meaning of the existence of euphemism.Euphemisms are the substance of taboo words.From the relationship of taboos and euphemisms illustrates the national characters in English and Chinese euphemisms.There are religious characters in English euphemisms and class characters in Chinese euphemisms.We know that the communication between us should under the principle of cooperation.But the differences between different culture background,age,sex,status and positions always make the principle out of effect.So euphemism can do a lot to maintain people's social status in our today's society,especially in intercultural communication.A preoccupation about euphemism can avoid some embarrassments in intercultural communication,If we want success in our future profession,a clear knowledge of euphemism is necessary.