A Semantic Analysis of English Euphemism

By Wang Wanzhen

In partial fulfillment of the requirement

For the B. A. degree

Department of English

School of Languages and Cultures

Nanjing University of Information Science amp; Technology

May,2016

Acknowledgement

Grateful acknowledgement is made to my tutor Mr. Zhang Houzhen，who offered me considerable help by advice, comments and criticism. During my thesis writing, he gave me continuous support and guidance. I do appreciate his patience, encouragement, and professional instructions.

Contents

1. Introduction 2

2. Semantic means of forming English euphemism 4

2. 1 Glorifying euphemism 5

2. 2 Semantic fuzziness 6

2. 3 Borrowed words 6

3. Associative mechanism in the use of English euphemism 7

3. 1 Associative mechanism 8

3. 1. 1 Connotative meaning 8

3. 1. 2 Social meaning/stylistic meaning 9

3. 1. 3 Affective meaning 10

3. 1. 4 Reflected meaning 10

3. 1. 5 Collocative meaning 11

3. 2 Semantic change caused by English euphemism 12

3. 2. 1 Expansion of meaning 12

3. 2. 2 Restriction of meaning 13

3. 2. 3 Degradation of meaning 13

3. 2. 4 Improvement of meaning 13

3. 2. 5 Semantic fuzziness 14

4. Functions of euphemism in communication 14

4. 1 Evasive function 14

4. 2 Decoration function 15

4. 3 Politeness function 16

4. 4 Humor function 17

5. Conclusion 18

References 20

A SEMANTIC ANALYSIS OF ENGLISH EUPHEMISM

Wang Wanzhen

Department of English

School of Language and Culture

Nanjing University of Information Science amp; Technology

Abstract: Euphemism is not only a requirement in interpersonal communication, but a significant method to maintain social relationships and interpersonal relationships in verbal Communication. This article adopts a semantic approach to English euphemism. It will explore the composition of English euphemism and the internal mechanism governing the employment of English euphemism associative meaning. Through this, this article aims to illustrate how different types of meaning adapt for the integral effect of linguistic communication. Also, it will discuss the semantic changes resulting from associative meaning. Besides, this article will illustrate the functions of euphemism. The application of English euphemism has an influence on, even determines the effect of communication.

Key words: euphemism, semantics, associative meaning, semantic change

摘要：委婉语不仅仅是人际交往中的一种需求，也是言语交际中维系社会关系和人际关系的一种重要手段。本文将从语义学角度探讨英语委婉语的构成手段，英语委婉语的内部使用机制，即联想意义的使用，以此说明这些不同类型的意义如何适从于语言交际的总体效果，以及联想意义的运用所引起的各种语义变化。此外，本文还将简要说明委婉语的功能。联想意义的运用影响甚至决定着语言的交际效果。

关键词：委婉语；语义学；联想意义；语义变化

1. Introduction

Most people think euphemism is merely a cultural phenomenon. In fact it is also a linguistic concept. Euphemism exists in every language, so does English. It is deeply rooted in social life of human and has a great impact on social communication. Because it is an indispensable and natural part of English language, people has paid attention on English euphemism for a long time. Since euphemism was invented, it has played a very significant role in people’s communication. Many linguists have made deep researches on euphemism respectively in the perspective of rhetoric, linguistics, pragmatics and social linguistics.

What is euphemism? According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s English-Chinese Dictionary, euphemism is an indirect word or phrase that people often use to refer to something embarrassing or unpleasant, sometimes to make it seem more acceptable than it really is (Hornby A. S. amp; Lu Gusun, 2009, 681). For example, pass away is a euphemism for die.

From its definition we can see that it is a kind of language phenomenon. First of all, it is an important means of communication for people in certain circumstances. People usually try to avoid using words causing displeasure or damaging to the relations between the two sides, instead, they use an indirect linguistic form to express ideas and to exchange information. Second, the euphemism is a socio-cultural phenomenon, which has already penetrated in all aspects of people's daily life and reflects the widespread social phenomenon or people's psychology like taboo and politeness.

The euphemistic language is not completely the same as rhetoric of euphemism. It is a kind of semantic means，a way people use to express ideas. Therefore, euphemism is not so much a means of rhetoric, it achieves its euphemistic purpose rhetorically, such as by metaphor, monotony, pun, irony, character analysis and so on. Scholars also have found many rhetoric phenomenon relating to euphemisms, i.e. in specific context, the speaker is able to employ appropriate way of euphemism to express courteously, at the meanwhile, according to the known information, the listener deduces the meaning speaker wants to convey through the cooperative principle, to achieve the ideal effect.

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