浅谈英语委婉语的分类、构成方式及社会功能((3)
2016-09-30 01:02
导读：3.2 Spelling devices 3.2.1 Abbreviations Some euphemisms are abbreviations. For example, “VD” is for “venereal disease”; “BO” is for “body odor”; “BM” substitutes “bowel movement”
3.2 Spelling devices
3.2.1 Abbreviations
Some euphemisms are abbreviations. For example, “VD” is for “venereal disease”; “BO” is for “body odor”; “BM” substitutes “bowel movement”; “WC” substitutes “water closet”; “OD” replaces “to take an overdose”, etc.
3.2.2 Reinterpretation of initials
Reinterpretation of initials is also used to form English euphemisms. For example, “hot and cold” is a roundabout expression for “heroin and cocaine”. “hot” and “heroin” have the same initial “h” and “cold” and “cocaine” have the same initial “c”, but “hot and cold” sounds less accurate and indirect.
3.3 vocabulary devices
3.3.1Loan words
Borrowing is the use of loanwords in order to avoid taboos. “It is thought that loanwords have few negative meaning and sensitive associations, so that they sound more neutral and pleasant.” [10]
Here is a list of direct expressions and their respective euphemisms.
“English French Latin
smell scent
stink odor
fat rotund
sick/ill indisposed
lie prevaricate
spit expectorate
sweat perspire” [11]
As we all know, in 43 A.D. Roman Empire conquered England and brought Latin to England and Latin became official language in England. After the Norman Conquest in 1066, French became the governmental language in England. But French and Latin were only spoken by the upper classes, and among the low classes English was spoken. The upper classes held the view that words used by themselves were superior to those used by the low classes. So they used French or Latin words to replace unpleasant English words. Later people accepted the view that French and Latin words are more euphemistic than English words.
3.3.2Using uplifting words
Uplifting words can make one feel happier or more hopeful so they are used quite frequently in modern English as an important means to euphemize things related to the humble social class. The main purpose of using these euphemisms is to make menial jobs sound decent. For example, people replace “waiters” or “waitresses” by “the dining room attendants”, “landscape worker” by “landscape architect”, “garbage man” by “sanitary engineer”, and substitute “butcher” with “meat technologist”. Generally speaking, in forming euphemism the rule of using words that are easy on the ears is observed for the purpose of consolation. Through using uplifting words, the embarrassing facts are embellished and no longer unpleasant.
33.3Using vague words or expressions
In modern western countries, vague words or expressions are used in almost all the fields. “If a neighboring girl has a child before marriage, people will comment like this: ‘She has an accident.’ The word ‘accident’ is very vague. If a person came across a disaster and died, people will also use ‘accident’ to describe his situation. They may say: ‘He has met with an accident.’” [12]In school a student may say to a teacher: “Sorry! I have to do my business” when he wants to go to the washing room. Besides, “a man of bad taste” is called “a man of doubtful taste”; and “homosexual” is replaced by “queer”. “It is no wonder that euphemism is named weasel words.”[13]
