[Abstract] Language communication is an important method to (8)
2013-08-02 01:04
导读：3.4. The countries names as euphemism In English, there is another special euphemistic expression. That is to use other countries names instead of some harsher or more offensive words. The appearance
3.4. The countries’ names as euphemism
In English, there is another special euphemistic expression. That is to use other countries’ names instead of some harsher or more offensive words. The appearance of these euphemisms is mostly because of the historic and cultural reasons. For instance, because French had ruled Britain, British people like to make fun of the French. They called “syphilis” “the French disease”. “French letter” is a euphemism for “condom”; “abortive pill” is called “French lunar pill”; “pornographic novels/prints” is called “French novels (prints)”. It seems that the French does all the bad things. In 17th century, the war between Britain and Dutch also led to a lot of anti-Dutch words, including euphemisms. “Prostitute” is called “Dutch widow”; “commit suicide” is called “Dutch act/cure”; “Dutch courage” is an “artificial courage”; “Dutch cheer” is a euphemism for “liquor”. It was said that the Dutch often drank some liquor to build up their courage. Besides French and Dutch, Britain also makes fun of other countries. “Condom” has other euphemistic expressions in terms of country’s name, such as Spanish letter, American letter, and Italian letter. “Abortive pill” is also called “Portuguese female pill”; “Russian roulette” is a euphemism for “to intend to commit suicide”; “Mexican raise. Irish promotion” means “to be dismissed”; “Egyptian physical training” means “to sleep at daytime”; “Chinese” is also included in this usage, and it refers to a kind of “heroin”. “Chinese white” is a euphemism for “spirited heroin”; “Chinese red” also refers to “heroin”. In a word, the British and the American relate a lot of offensive things with other countries’ names. That is why “exotic” has the meaning of “erotic”. “Exotic club” became the “striptease night club”; “exotic dancer” became the “go-go dancer”. Besides English, other western countries also have such euphemistic phenomena. In fact, it is Linguistic Chauvinism.
（科教范文网http://fw.NSEAC.com编辑发布）
4. Conclusion
Euphemism appears with false appearance, and exerts a subtle influence on exposing the truth. That is to use the neutral or pleasant words to express some awkward or offensive contents. As to the English learners, we should not only pay attention to its application on appropriate occasions, but to its influences. Its active functions can coordinate the interpersonal relationships, release the contradictions and avoid the conflicts. The negative functions are to confound right and wrong, beautify the shameful behaviors and conceal the essence. Language itself has not the class character, but different people, political parties and countries can consider it a tool to serve for them. That is why someone named euphemisms as “comfortable words” or “cosmetic words”. In daily life, we should pay attention to the influences that the active and negative functions of euphemisms bring us, and keep the negative functions from corrupting our thoughts.
Bibliography
[1]薛永.英语委婉语的特征、构成及种类[J]. 徐州教育学院学报, 2003年3月. 第1期.P103
[2]马漪云.浅谈英语中的委婉语及其运用[J].山西农业大学学报（社会科学版）, 2005年4月. 第1期. P76
[3]冯翠华. 英语修辞大全[M]. 北京:外语教学与研究出版社, 1995年12月. P208
[4]同[1]. P104
[5]同[1]. P104
[6]向仍东. 浅析英语委婉语的特征、构成及作用[J]. 长沙大学学报, 2005年1月. 第1期. P87
[7]吴雁. 谈谈英语委婉语在社会语言交际中的运用和效果[J]. 江西教育学院学报, 1995年第5期. P70
[8]郑晓晖. 从‘委婉语’的构造看其语义特征[J]. 荆州职业技术学报, 2004年9月. 第5期. P52
[9]同[1]. P104
[10]同[1]. P104
[11]李丽娟. 英语委婉语的语法表达形式[J]. 宁德师专学报, 1998年第3期. P47
内容来自www.nseac.com
[12]同[6]. P83
[13]乐金声. 英语委婉语的产生及其交际功能[J]. 安徽师大学报, 1995年第3期. P388
[14]黄鹰雄. 英语委婉语漫谈[J]. 惠州大学学报,. 1995年第3期. P102
[15]成令瑾，袁浩. 英语说话艺术和
写作技巧[M]. 北京:北京语言学院出版社, 1996年1 月.P281
[16]林承璋. 英语词汇学引
论文[M]. 湖北:
武汉大学出版社, 1987年6月. P146
[17]刘驰. 英语委婉语的形成与交际功能[J].
青海师范大学学报（
哲学社会科学版）, 2003年第2期. P98
[18]同[3]. P213
[19]于海江. 英语委婉语的交际功能与构造原则[J]. 解放军外语学院学报, 1992年第6期. P11
[20]同[1]. P103
