A Research of Euphemism from the Perspective of Cooperative Principle 从合作原则角度看委婉语.doc

从合作原则角度看委婉语A Research of Euphemism from the Perspective of Cooperative Principle内容摘要委婉语是语言使用中协调人际关系的一个重要手段。委婉语是一种用曲折的方式表达说话者思想的特殊的语言表达方式。作为英语词汇中不可分割的一部分，英语委婉语一直引起人们的关注。基于刍人的研究成果，文章専从合作原则角度对委婉语进行讨。首先，文章概括了国内外学者对委婉语的研究现状，并简述了其构思。其次，从委婉语作为一种语言学概念入手，分析了其官义、分类和构成。接着，文章重点探讨了委婉语与合作原则之间的关系。阐述了合作原则是指人们在交际过程中遵媈质、量、相关和方式准则，而委婉语恰恰违反了这些准则,并引用大量有说服性的实例说明了英语委娉语的使用是如何违法合作原则以更好的达到对话效果。文章还阐述了委婉语违反合作原则的动机是为了避讳、表达礼貌、美化和掩饰。最后，对全文的论炸进行了总结和回顾，并提出了问题。总之，委婉语昫违背倈作原则各准则而亦生的常规语言的一种变异。因此，对于胱语学习者来说，理解委婉语和合作原则的关系显得尤为重要，能更好地运用委婉语进行交际。关键词: 英语委婉语；合作原则；动因AbstractEuphemism is an important device to lubricate human relationship, and it has probably existed from the beginning of language. Its main function is to substitute taboo words to achieve a desirable communication effect. As an indispensable and natural part of English language, English euphemism has been arousing wide interest. Based on the scholars achievements, this thesis will study euphemisms from the perspective of Cooperative Principle.In the thesis, fistly I study the present situations of euphemisms at home and aboard, and narrate the conception of the thesis. Secondly, I try to analyze the definition, classification and formation of it. And then, it study euphemisms from the perspective of Cooperative Principle. Cooperative Principle refers to the quantity maxim, quality maxim, relation maxim and manner maxim which people should observe in communication. However, it turns out that euphemisms violate the principle.There are many examples confirm it. The thesis also discuss the motives of euphemisms by violating the Cooperative Principle. Its main purpose is evading taboos, showing politeness, beaufication and disguising. Finally, it gives a conclusion and a review to the thesis, and it also poses some questions.Society is in a constant state of development and change. So is language. As a common language phenomenon, euphemism is also changing constantly. Consequently, for English learners, understanding the relations between euphemisms and Cooperative Principle is of great importance in communication.Key words: English Euphemism ,Cooperative Principle , motivesContents内容摘要.iAbstract. .iiIntroduction .11. General Introduction to Euphemism .31.1 Definition of Euphemism 31.2 Classification of Euphemism.61.2.1 Positive Euphemism and Negative Euphemism . .61.2.2 Unconscious Euphemism and Eonscious Euohemism.71.3 Devices of English Euphemism-formation. .81.3.1 Phonetic Device 81.3.2 Lexical Device91.3.3 Grammatical Device112.Euphemism and Cooperative Principle 152.1 The Cooperative Principle.162.2 The Violation of Cooperative Principle in Euphemism . 172.2.1 Euphemism Violating Maxim of Quantity 172.2.2 Euphemism Violating Maxim of Quality 192.2.3 Euphemism Violating Maxim of Relation. .222.2.4 Euphemism Violating Maxim of Manner243. Motives of Euphemizing by Violating Cooperative Principle273.1 Evading Taboos 273.2 showing politeness293. 3 Beautification303. 4 Disguising31Conclusion. 33Notes.36Bibliography37Acknowledgements.38Introductioneuphemism is an indirect, roundabout, and polite mode of expression used to talk about something unpleasant. As an indispensable and natural part of English language and a common linguistic phenomenon, euphemism is one of the most important means to coordinate people's relationship. It has been extensively used in human being's communication. As Enright, D.J. wrote in Fair of Speech, The Use of Euphemism1985, “a language without euphemisms would be a defective instrument of communication”1. In the more civilized mordern world, the interpersonal and iternational communication without euphemisms is unimaginable. Meanwhile, euphemism is a complicated linguistic phenomenon, which involves history, culture, nationalities, gender, psychology, context purposes, etc. Therefore, it has been arousing wide interest from different angles in the academic circle both at home and abroad.In the western world, the study of euphemism has a rather long history. In the early 80s of the sixteenth century, George Blunt, a British writer, for the first time coined the word “euphemism” and was defined as “a good or favorable interpretation of a bad word”2. In 1981, the British linguist Hugh Rawson discussed the history, the definition, the classification, the scope of euphemism extensively. In 1985, D. J. Enright published a book Fair of Speech, the Use of Euphemism, which studied the use of euphemism in one specific domain. In China, for a long period, the study of euphemism mainly focused on the rhetoric aspect .But with the development of linguistics, Fan Jiacai first gave us a detailed description of euphemism. And he systematically discussed the causes, features and constructing means of euphemism. Later, Pan Shaozhang and Li Xinhua discussed the definition, constructing means and the applicable scope of euphemism and the relations between aesthetics and euphemism. And Chen Yuan probed the profound historical and social-psychological background of euphemism. After that, Wu Tieping revealed that fuzziness is one of the means to format euphemism. And Shu Dingfang, Wang Wei, etc. studied euphemism from the pragmatic perspective.Without doubt, the pragmatic study of euphemism is of great importance and value in the study of euphemism ,and one of the most widely discussed issues is: what are the pragmatic principles that could explain the formation of euphemism and guide the application of it? Many scholars proposed new “principles” constantly. However, these new “principles” would not solve the problem, if not making it more complicated. Actually, the “principles” created by these scholars are overlapping and partial. Firstly, the definition of the term “principle” is not clear and it seems that after Grice and Leech the term “principle” is abused and becomes misleading; secondly, there is no theoretical base to these “principles” and the explanation is inadequate; Finally, these “principles” are regarded as independent aspects, but it is not the case. So, in this paper, I plan to probe into the Cooperative Principles influencing the use of euphemism and use abundant examples to reveal how their being violations enable euphemism to create harmony and strengthen the social fabric.1. General Introduction to EuphemismEuphemism is a common linguistic phenomenon, and it is widely used by people no matter what time they live in or what culture they are saturated. It plays an important role in people's daily communication. The word “euphemism” comes from Greek; “eu” means “good” or “well”; the root “pheme” means “saying” or “speech”; and “ism” is a noun suffix. Primarily as a kind of trope employed in nonhostile social communication in such English-speaking societies as Britain, the United States and Australia, etc. English euphemism is an indirect strategic expression substituting the expression with an unpleasant connotation by producing some psychological distance between the signifier and the signified of a linguistics sign to get rid of psychological disturbances, so as to ensure a smooth communication and harmonious interpersonal relationship. 1.1 Definition of EuphemismAs a special mode of expression, euphemism has been defined differently in different books. In Concise Oxford Dictionary, euphemism is defined as substitution of mild or vague or roundabout expression for harsh or blunt or direct one; In Webster's New World Thesarus, uphemism is defined as substitution, restraint, softened expression, mock modesty, metaphorical speech, verbal extenuation, word in verbal good taste, over delicacy of speech, affected refnement of language; In The Random House College Dictionary ,euphemism is defined as the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh or blunt; In Collins Cobuild Essential English Dictionary, euphemism is defined as a polite word or expression that people use when they are talkiNg about something which they nr other penple findunpleasantor embarrassing such as daath or sex; In Allan and Burridge, euphemirm Is defined as usdd as an alternative to a dasprefdrred ex0ressIon, in order to avoid possile loss of face: eitHer one's own f!ceor, throug( giving offe.3e, thAt of the Audience, or of some third arty.Though 3cHolar2 defined “uphemiqm differently from didberent persPectives these definitions share the same point: euphemism is an indirect, roundabout, and polite mode of expression used to talk about somethinf unpleasant. In communication, it can make the unpleasant things sound better, and make people feel good; it can make both speaker and hearer safe without losing face*1.2 Classificatioj of EuphemismTo have a better understanding of the features of English euphemisms, it is helpful and important to learn how they are classified into different categories. Besides, the categ/rization lays the essential foundation for analyzing English euphemisms pragmatically later.1.2.1 The positive Euphemism and the Negative EuphemismEuphemism, according to different standards, can be classified differently. Hugh Rawson divided euphemisms into two general typespositive and negative, in terms of semantics. The positive euphemisms also can be called stylistic ones, which “inflate and magnify the word meaning, making the euphemized seem altogether grander and more important than they really are.”3 The positive euphemisms include the many fancy occupational titles, which save the egos of workers by elevating their job status. In all cultures, there is a tendency to elevate a low, humble status to a high, decent position, to make offal smell like a rose. Thus, garbagemen are promoted to sanitation engineers, bootblacks to footwear maintenance engineers, secretaries to administrative assistant and so on. This kind of euphemism is usually used widely in the official language and some other formal styles.The negative euphemisms are extremely ancient, and closely connected with the taboos, They are also called “traditional euphemisms”. They deflate and diminish. They are defensive in nature, offsetting from language everything that people prefer not to deal with directly. In many cultures, it is forbidden to pronounce the name of God, so there are euphemisms such as “Geeze”, “Gee” or “Grepers creepers”for “Jesus”. The ancient Greeks transformed the Furies into the Euminides (the kindly ones or the friendly ones) or Erinyes (the revered ones), in western culture, tha direct mention ofSataN is also tabooed; the good of man, the great fellow, etc. came into servIce. The name of the dead, and of animals that are hunted or feared are also euphemized tHis way in many cultures.1.2.2 The Unconscikur Euphemism and the Conscious uphemismAll euphemisms, whether positive op negative, can be divided into two classesunconscious and conscious by Hugh Rawson, according to whether people rEmember their oriGinal motivatio.s or not. The unconscious euphemisms refer toth/se of which original denotations have beeN forg/tten by pekpde for a long time. Take “indisposition” for exaiple: the original meaNing of the wor is “incapacity to deal whth comething.”and itS euphemistic meaning is “slight illness or ill heal4h”, which has been frequently used for so long time that people hardly thinc of the /riginal meani.g.Consciouq euphemisms are dif&EreNt. hen people use certain euphemisms, they are, generlly speaking, aware that their use lead to dOubl% thinking: the euphemIsm stands for s§mething else. For exaiple, in a dinner party, a lady stood up and said that she wanted to powder her nose. We shou,d think that her intention is noble ajd she doesn't mean to be dishonest by really going to the “l!dies' room”. In a word, eup(Emisms like this stand for “soiething else”, but e6eúyoNe pretends that “something else” doesn't exist. It isessentially duplicitous nature ofeuphemisms that makes them attractive to thos% penple and institutions who have to hide, who find it convenient to lie about what they are doing.1.3 The Devices of English Euphemism-formationEnglish euphemism can be created by several devices. The three major devices are phonetic device, lexical device and grammatical device.1.3.1 Phonetic DeviceEuphemisms can be created by phonetic device. When we encounter some words that we dare not to speak directly, we may distort their sounds or change their spellings to make them more acceptable. We can use abbreviation, blending, reduplication and phonetic distortion to make a euphemism.Abbreviation is the shorting of a word. For example, “Big C” refers to “cancer”, “G-man “for “garbage man”. Blending means squeezing two or more words together both orthographically and phonetically. For example, “gezunda” eplaces “chamber pot”, it's derived from the fact that this object “goes under” the bed. Reduplication is the repetition of a syllable or letter of a word, such as “pee-pee” for “piss”, and “Jeepers Greepers” for “Jesus Christ”. There's also phonetic distortion, such as “gad, gosh, good” replace “God”; “darn” replaces “damn”, and so on. And also light-reading is a popular way of euphemism, which means when you have to say something but you feel shy, awkward or even guilt to do so, you may lower your voice.1.3.2 Lexical DeviceLexical Device is also an important device to form euphemism. It includes using the loan words, using the abstract or obscure words, or using the expressions from religious or literature works.1). Using loan wordsSome euphemisms are borrowed. Borrowing from foreign language to function as euphemism is common. In English, The sources of euphemism are mainly from French and Latin. These words are filled with negative associations for foreign languages, and thus sound more pleasant, formal and learned. For example, the widely used “toilet” comes from the French “toilette” which means “bathroom”. In the hospitals, doctors often use Greece or Latin words to replace the names of some diseases, so as to let the patients feel less pressured. Such as “cancer” is called “carcinoma or neoplasm”, and “a heart attack” was replaced by a “myocardial infarction”. Here are more examples: “nude” (Latin) for “naked”