文档介绍：Linguistic Taboo and Euphemisms
outline
Introduction
Euphemisms
1) definition
2) examples
Taboo
1) definition
2) examples
Introduction
Nowadays, Euphemisms es a usual language phenomena in human beings. that is to get a ideal effect munication, learning to how to use the Euphemisms will be good for language learners when municate with intercultural person. And learning to avoid the taboo also get an unexpected effect.
Euphemisms
Definition
A word or phrase that replaces a taboo word or is used to avoid reference to certain acts or subjects.
Euphemisms in different conditions
About death
to go to the heaven (上天堂去了)
to go to a better world(到极乐世界去了)
to pay one’s debt to nature (向大自然还债了)
to go to another world (到另一个世界去了)
to breathe one’s last (咽气了)
About disease
AIDS social disease社会疾病
cancer terminal illness/C 绝症
acne唑疮 problem skin问题皮肤
veneral disease性病
someone crazy not all there不在状态 soft in head脑子有问题
Euphemisms in different conditions
About age / appearance
在英美国家,年龄是一个非常敏感的话题,尤其对老年人和妇女而言。在美国,人们认为old(老)是useless(不中用)的代名词,因为人老了,他们的职业生涯结束了,失去了经济来源。但事实上却是,在美国,整个人口在老龄化,老年福利很有限,导致很多老年人生活在孤独、无助和贫困中。因此,他们害怕老,更害怕听见别人说他们老,于是,由此生出很多好听的委婉语老年人被称为高级市民(senior citizens)年长者(the elderly) the mature (成熟) 不再很年轻(no longer very young)
人们注重自己的身才和长相,但这方面并非人人都十全十美。对长相欠佳或生理有缺陷者,人们往往十分敏感,多不愿直说某人的缺陷,免得令人难堪。美国人忌肥胖身材,但皮包骨也令人烦恼。所以说到瘦人,人们忌用骨瘦嶙峋或皮包骨头(skinny),而说身材苗条(slim or slender)。说到生理有缺陷者,人们忌说瘸(crippled)、瞎(blind)、聋(deaf)、哑(dumb),而是统称他们为残疾人(the handicapped or disabled)。说到相貌,人们忌用丑陋、难看(ugly),而说长相一般(plain-looking or ordinary looking)
Euphemisms in different conditions
About career
在英美国家,社会分工高低贵贱十分悬殊,有些从事地位低下,挣钱不多职业的人怕被人看不起,也忌讳别人直接提到他们的职业。当他们要提到自己的职业时,也会用一些委婉动听的名称来取代。重整鞋者(shoe rebuilder)指补鞋匠(shoe maker),器皿保全工(utensil maintenance)指洗盘子的人(dish washer),清洁工程师(sanitation engineer) 指清扫垃圾的人(garbageman),肉类技术专家(meat technologist)指屠夫(butcher),美容师(cosmetologist) 指理发师(hair-dresser),殡仪负责人(funeral director) 指承办丧事的人(undertaker) ,而妓女(prostitute)的委婉语是pavement princess(马路天使)等等