A Study On English Euphemism

English euphemisms emerged in the works by such literary giants as Shakespears as well as the statements made by populace, which is a perfect index of the riches of English culture and the varieties of human language. In this paper, the present writer observes English euphemism from linguistic, sociological and psychological aspects. The study focuses on the formation, social functions and rhetorical application of English euphemism. It offers us, esp. chapter III, which is an analysis against the English culture and social custom, a clear direction to the understanding of English culture and the point of view of the westerners.The thesis falls into five parts: Introduction; I The Format ion of English Euphemism; II. The Social Function of English Euphemism; III. Rhetorical Application of English Euphemism; Conclusion.Part I is an introduction to the English euphemism and what achievements the previous scholars have made in their studies of bnglish euphemism.Part II lists some frequently used ways of formation of English euphemism, including loanwords, widening or narrowing of meaning, formed by rhetorical application-metaphorical transfer, understatement and rhyming slang, phonetic distortion, semantic shift, and omission. By analyzing the formation of English euphemism, the writer tries to guide us to the perfect choice of the formation so as to be sure of the smoothcommunications with native English-speakers.In Part III, the writer goes into details about social functions of English euphemism: 1.euphemisms in place of taboos. 2. euphemisms for sensitive topics. 3. euphemisms for tactful expressions. 4. euphemisms for modesty. This part is sociologically and psychologically analyzed what subjects or topics are often required to be "beaten around bushes". Mentioning its first function, above all, the writer introduces the origin of taboo, which is closely related to euphemism. The writer groups taboos into three types: profanities, obscenities and vulgarities, and introduces their substitutes respectively. Concerning the second function, the traditional euphemisms and their motivations of ueing traditional ones are listed, including death, being old, deadly diseases, disabilities, and so on.With violent rivalry, new euphemisms-"up-lifting" terms are createdin the more vast fields. Under compound political conditions in the world, euphemisms are seeping into such areas as political, military and diplomatic areas. So, the motivations of the use of euphemisms are analyzed, and then, followed by the euphemisms for modesty.Part IV probes the rhetorical application of English euphemism. Euphemism itself is a figure of speech. It often appears in daily and social lives with other tropes, such as metaphor, pun, metonymy, synecdoche, antonomasia, personification, periphrasis, litotes, onomatopoeia and irony. The description for this part aims to help us to combine euphemism withother tropes to achieve the perfect rhetorical effect.Part V is a conclusion, which summarizes the euphemism-users' motivations and the value of the -paper in the research of English cultures and the further understanding of the Westerners' psychologies. Furthermore, it is helpful in dealing with some cross-cultural affairs.