A Contrastive Study Of Korean And Chinese Euphemisms

Without language social life would not function smoothly. Although each country differs in language forms and language symbols, each country has similarities in some expressions. For example: when expressing difficult issues and some sensitive situations people tend to choose relatively mild words to express what they mean. This is what is known as using an euphemism. Euphemism means expressing some matters and states indirectly by using milder words to express feelings and thoughts. Euphemism is a cultural phenomenon which has infiltrated into all aspects of daily life. It can reflect a wide range of social phenomenon (such as social taboos and politeness) as well as the psychology of the people. The aim of studying euphemism is to help people have a better understanding and use of it to exchange information and communicate with each other. Euphemism is a lubricant in society and it can help people communicate with each other more smoothly.Euphemism is widely used in daily life. Euphemism will be used in daily conversations, and some obscure and sensitive words will be replaced by euphemism in literature. In movies and TV programs, some sensitive and vulgar words will also replaced by euphemism. Euphemism is indispensible in language and its function cannot be neglected. When communicating with each other people want to find an appropriate way to make communication go smoothly and happily. If people use some vulgar and sensitive words to communicate with others it may cause embarrassment and inconvenience to both. In order to avoid embarrassment and inconvenience euphemism is widely used.When learning a language knowing its euphemism is of great importance. When going to another country knowing the customs is also very important. Because of different political, geographic, and historical backgrounds and different lifestyles, each country has its own culture. Euphemism which makes up a large part of a language will be different in some way. Euphemism of different countries differs in the way of using, including the areas in which they can be used and the situations they should be used. While learning a foreign language, if a foreigner ignores the euphemism of the language, she or he will make some unintentional funny jokes and even misunderstandings. Euphemism plays a great role in a language. So for a Chinese learner, she or he should be familiar with Chinese euphemism and master it. On the one hand, mastering Chinese euphemism will be good for one's Chinese reading comprehension and improve her or his ability to use Chinese to communicate. On the other hand, the learner can also know the unique Chinese social culture and customs. So it is of great importance to learn the Chinese euphemism in the process of learning Chinese.As different languages, Chinese and Korean have different characteristics and styles. But the euphemisms of both languages are used widely in daily life. The euphemism of Chinese and Korean involve all aspects of social life, reflecting recognized conduct, social habits, aesthetic values, and ethical standards from different perspectives. This thesis will make a contrastive study of Chinese and Korean euphemisms.The thesis collects a large number of Chinese and Korean euphemisms, and makes a thorough research of them. They are compared in three aspects. Firstly, we will compare the euphemisms in forms. According to the features of Chinese and Korean, we compare the euphemisms in pronunciation, vocabulary, and writing forms. Secondly, we will make a classification of the euphemisms in different fields, and they will be divided into three main groups: namely,â‘ The contrastive study on the euphemisms about death in Chinese and Korean.â‘¡The contrastive study on the euphemisms about different occupations, which include some occupations of low social status.â‘¢The contrastive study on the euphemisms about certain parts of the human body and some euphemisms about sex and excretion. When communication involves such topics people often feel ashamed and embarrassed. So euphemisms about these aspects are indispensible. Chinese and Korean are not exceptions.Finally, we will make a conclusion of the similarities and differences between Chinese and Korean euphemisms. Briefly, the thesis makes a thorough contrastive study of the different forms and classifications of euphemisms. The aim of the thesis is to aid communication between China and Korea and help learners of Chinese and Korean.