Comparative Study of English and Chinese Euphemism 英汉委婉语对比.doc

Comparative Study of English and Chinese EuphemismEuphmism originated from Greek, eu means good, pleasant, phemism means speech. The literal meaning of this word is words of good speech. In fact, using euphemism in linggustics is a common phenomenon in different nations. The basic feature of euphemism is using some pleasant, inoffensive expressions instead of using harsh unpleasant expressions. In other words, we use indirect ways to express our ideas in order to avoid shame, privacy and friction with others in our interpersonal communications. As a result, euphemism plays an important role in our daily life. Euphemism is not only a kind of linguistic phenomenon, but also a kind of culture phenomenon. There are many euphemisms in English and Chinese and they have differences and simlarities. This is result from different background of history and culture and the language styal itself. I will compare English euphemisms with Chinese euphemisms from a comparative way.Euphemism was started from taboo. Taboo exist in any culture, any society. In the ancient time, people had taboo about something. In order to keep a normal communication with others, they use other unforbidden words to substitue these harsh and forbidden words. This is the same root of English and Chinese euphemisms.Besides, in acient times, people could not understand nature from a correct way as the productive force was very bad. Thus people worshiped the nature blindly, they thought there was an intimate relationship between language and nature and language had a magic power. They created a lot of words to refer to god and devil. In English, they use prince of darkness, the bleak to refer to devil. In chinese, we tend to use 白无常和黑无常, 阎王 to refer to devil. Besides, we chinese created a lot of god names for natural phenomenon, also we have various kinds of taboos on other things. Of course, nature worship is aroused by superstions.1.words can not express directlyAs euphemism came from taboo. Taboo is a common phenomenon in any countries. It produces when we express it in our language.In English and Chinese culture, death and illness is a typical taboo. Most people think these two things are terrible and we can not say in casually. There are a great number of words about euphemism on death and illness. In chinese, the words for death is different as the status varies. We refer to the death of emperor 驾崩, the celebrates 谢逝，the beutys 香消玉殒，the relatives 离世. However, the words for death are different for a religious reason as they come from Bible mostly, expressions like to rest in peace, to go to heaven, to be called to god. The similarities between these two like there are 归天 and 辞世 in Chinese and pass away and gone in English. As for illness, people dont want to suffer such a thing, they tend to express it indirectively in order not to make patient sad. The euphemism in Chinese like 欠安, 不适, 微恙 and 小恙. Also chinese use 挂彩 instead of 受伤, 失明 for 眼瞎. By contrast, English use the big C and long illness instead of cancer, discomfort in stead of disease, condition in stead of ailment. In addition, chinese always avoid using the malicious hynonyms. We can not give umbrella and clock to friends as the umbrella has the same pronociation with the part and endness. They dont like number 4, as it is pronounced like death in chinese.2.politenessIn our daily communication, we usually use euphemisms in order to pay respect to others and care their faces. In English, they often use expressions like May I know your name instead of whats your name to show politeness. In Chinese, we use 贵姓, and 尊姓大名. When we find somebody is telling a lie, English always use I think you are somewhat retorting the fact to express their idea while Chinese use euphemism 您可能弄错了吧. The most representative euphemisms are involved in the occuption. The people in the modern society are very senstive to their status, so they tend to use euphemism in refering to some jobs. In English, we can find sales representive instead of salesman, landscape architect for gardener and guest worker for foreigner labour. In Chinese, we can find 汽车美容师 instead of 修车工人, 家政 for 保姆 and 发型设计师 for 理发师.3.hidenessWhen we refer to marriage, politic, crime and diplomatism, we always need to hide something that we dont want to say. For example, when talk that somebody was put into the prison, English often express like He is now living at the governments expenses. When talk about somebodys privacy of pregnance, they use she has an accident to hide the fact that she gave birth to a baby before marriage. In diplomatic aspect, we chinese use in the broadcast like 双方进行了建设性的会谈, 谈判是富有建设性的 to express that there are disagreements between two countries. Also, using “developing countries , the third world countries instead of backward countries is to hide poverty of these countries.4.from cultureEupheumisms growth is greatly influenced by religious fable and other historical stories. For instance, a visit from the stork is a euphemism for the birth of a baby. Ancient people in west believed that a woman by the contact witn a totem, that is , the stork brought the baby to the woman. have a cork-stop is an advertasement that can uaually find in the highway. It is euphemism for go to the lavatory, because the drivers can stop the car ,have a cup of coffee and go to the lavatory there. Besides, we use meet the waterloo to refer to a final and decisive defeat. The phrase originated from the historical event that Napoleon was defeated in the town of Waterloo in Belgium in1815. In chinese, we have an expression 走麦城,which is equivalent to meet the Waterloo. In the three kingdom, GuangYu was defeated in Maicheng.From the content given above, we can find that there are differences and similarities in euphemisms. English is a phonetic language, it can using acronymy to create euphemism. V.D instead of venereal disease, but Chinese can not do this. In addition, English usually use tense, modal verbs to create euphemism, like I wonder if you would help me. As Chinese has no difference in tense, they use idioms to express their statement of euphemism. For instance, they use 外甥打灯笼，照舅 to criticize somebody but not cause friction. The westerns adore for individulism whereas Chinese worship team work. As a result, the westerns dont want to be old. They call older seasoned, well-preserved and senior citizen. Chinese people respect older, they call them 您老, and 老夫.All in all, euphemism are the outcome of various social and culture value factors. Euphemism is created and used as an appropriate expression for people to achieve a better communication effect in social communication. It is not only a linguistic phenomenon, but also a cultural phenomenon.Therefore by comparatively studying the English and Chinese euphemisms we can get to know different religions,different historical backgrounds as well as different cultures, which is invaluable for foreign language learning and teaching, cross-culture communication and so on. It is worth all the efforts to explore.