文档介绍：Unit 15
Euphemism
THE MOTIVES FOR EUPHEMIZING
The motives for generating euphemisms are as diverse and as universal as the range of human emotions.
Fear and a desire to placate the mysterious forces that rule the universe were probably the original reasons for euphemizing.
早期被禁忌的内容主要局限于一些自然现象和宗教领域。在基督教盛行的西方社会,上帝有着崇高、神圣的地位。对上帝的敬畏使得人们在上帝面前战战兢兢。
见《英语与社会》
只有善于和“上帝”沟通的“牧师”才有资格提及“上帝”的名字,能够与上帝沟通信息,进行交流,其他人往往不敢直接提及上帝的名字,惟恐违背天意,冒犯了上帝,引祸上身。
在基督教圣经中,有这样一段记载:诺亚(Noah)一家试图建造一座通天塔,上帝在得知这一消息后,使建造通天塔的人由说一种语言变成说互不相通的语言,最终这一计划因建筑人员之间不能进行语言交际而流产。
见《英语与社会》
We are subject to other varieties of fear as well.
Afraid to flout social and moral conventions, we refer to our lovers panions, thus disguising the unconventional or socially eptable nature of the relationship.
Our fear of specific diseases has led us to coin a lexicon of euphemisms for insanity and retardation, epilepsy, venereal disease, cancer, heart disease and stroke.
We also suffer from a generalized terror of every sort of disability---the word itself is a euphemism---and disfigurement and, while we fear these conditions, we are equally afraid of the social rejection that might attach to us if we had them.
Another motive for contemporary euphemizing is our strong desire to avoid offending others.