A Study On The Motivation Of English Euphemism

Euphemism is a common phenomenon in all languages. In many communicative situations, it can disguise unpleasant, disgusting, embarrassing even terrifying facts and phenomena. Meanwhile, it can defense the speaker's image and the hearer's self-esteem. Thus it could save both parties'faces and ensure a smooth communication. Hence, euphemism has become an indispensible language device to coordinate interpersonal relationship, which is called"the lubricant in communication."Euphemism has always been arousing the attention of many linguists and scholars. As a result, there is plenty of research on euphemism. Most studies have been approached mainly from rhetoric, linguistics, lexicology, social-linguistics perspectives and have made great achievements. However, the research over the motivation of English euphemism has only been simply conducted and there is nearly no relevant systematic study. Based on the previous studies, this thesis attempts to conduct a more systematic and detailed study over the motivation of English euphemism.As a language phenomenon, euphemism is first a linguistic concept. Analyzing from the linguistic angle, this paper gives a redefinition of euphemism and introduces its classification, formation, features and social functions. Euphemism is a communicative device to express oneself through the active application of language. Therefore, it not only refers to the acknowledged euphemistic words, phrases or sentences, but also includes the speaker's euphemistic utterance, even behavior and facial expression and so on in a particular communicative circumstance. They are all considered as euphemisms, for they are indirect, roundabout, and ensure a successful communication. This study focuses on the recognized euphemistic expressions and verbal euphemisms.This paper elaborates the motivation of English euphemism from three aspects. The first is pragmatic motivation. Firstly, euphemism is a device to use language indirectly and one pragmatic motive is for indirectness. Secondly, euphemism observes politeness principle and another pragmatic motive is to show politeness. Lastly, euphemism observes Face Theory and the third pragmatic motive is to save face.Language is inseparable from its culture. English euphemism is rooted in English culture, so its generation has cultural motivation. Culture covers all aspects of human life and is the realization of beliefs in people's minds. The English culture concerned in this study consists of its religion, cultural values and politics. English countries worshiped words in ancient times, and have been highly influenced by Christianity, so there are large numbers of religious euphemisms. Owing to the westerners'worship of freedom, their value for competition,material wealth and success, the truths regarding old age, humble occupations, poverty and so on have turned into unpleasant things, which give rise to corresponding euphemisms. English countries have many disturbing political and social problems, so they need euphemisms to cover the disgusting facts.The last one is psychological motivation. The generation of some euphemisms is due to people's terror and fear, or their shyness and shame, or their psychological endurance and acceptability.A detailed analysis of the motivation of English euphemism can better English learners'mastery of English euphemism and enable them to use it appropriately so as to make communication successful.