委婉语的修辞表现——英汉共同的委婉语言手段

Rhetoric Representation of Euphemism——The Common Language Techniques of Euphemism in English and Chinese

委婉语(euphem ism)作为一种特殊的语言代码,具有表述内容的禁忌性、表述形式的含蓄性、表述手段的语义不确定性等特点。它广泛存在于英汉两种语言中。“委婉”不仅是一种修辞方式,更是一种语义手段,是人们用来表达思想的一种普通方式。

The word ＂euphemism＂ comes from the Greek eu ＂ and pheme ＂speech＂ or ＂saying＂, and thus means literally ＂to speak with good words or in a pleasant manner＂. The subject of the earliest euphemism was undoubtedly religions. God, whether benign or malevolent, were treated with respect amounting to terror. However culturally and historically based particular euphemisms may be, the psychological and linguistic patterns underlying their formation are the same. This essay deals with the similarities of the ways of euphemism in Chinese and English.