委婉语语用剖析

论文摘要

委婉语是一种语言学概念,是“用一种不明说的,能使人感到愉快或含糊的说法代替具有令人感到不悦的含义或不够尊敬的表达法”。(简明牛津词典,第七版,p.332)从词源角度看委婉语的英文euphemism中,eu是希腊前缀,意为好;phemism意为说法;euphemism意为好的说法。英语委婉语在人们的日常生活中广泛而鲜活地使用着,并已成为英语词汇中不可或缺的组成部分。多年来许多语言学家和学者分别从不同角度对这一语言现象进行研究。本文作者借鉴他们的研究成果,试从语用学角度对英语委婉语进行分析。首先,本文从委婉语作为一种语言学概念入手,追溯英语委婉语的历史,分析其定义、分类及构成:其次,探讨了英语委婉语产生的动因和社会交际功能;最后,本文重点从语用学角度分析研究英语委婉语在交际过程中遵循及违反的原则。合作原则是指导言语交际的基本原则之一。在具体的交际过程中,为了达到一定的特殊言语交际目的,英语委婉语的使用违反了合作原则;与此同时,英语委婉语的使用遵循了礼貌原则和面子论,使日常交际成功的进行并竭力保护了自己和他人的利益尊严。作为一种普遍的文化现象,委婉语以独特的视角反映和折射出一个民族的历史演进,及其政治、经济、文化、思想、意识等领域的变迁。

论文目录

• Abstract
• 摘要
• Introduction
• Chapter 1 Literature Review of the Study of Euphemisms
• 1.1 Historical development of English euphemisms
• 1.2 Review of the pragmatic study of euphemisms
• 1.3 Prospective development in the study of euphemisms
• Chapter 2 The General Analysis of Euphemisms
• 2.1 Definition of euphemisms
• 2.2 Rhetorical application of English euphemisms
• 2.3 Classification of English euphemisms
• 2.3.1 The Positive euphemism and negative euphemism
• 2.3.2 Unconscious euphemism and conscious euphemism
• 2.3.3 Other classifications of English euphemisms
• 2.4 Three principles of euphemism formation
• 2.4.1 The Distance Principle
• 2.4.2 The Relation Principle
• 2.4.3 The Pleasantness Principle
• 2.5 Motivation of the use of euphemisms
• Chapter 3 A Pragmatic Analysis of Euphemistic Expressions in English
• 3.1 The Pragmatic Features of Euphemistic Expressions
• 3.1.1 Indirectness
• 3.1.2 Vagueness
• 3.1.3 Variation
• 3.2 The pragmatic functions of euphemisms
• 3.2.1 The Function of Avoiding Taboo
• 3.2.2.The Function of Being Polite
• 3.2.3.The Function of Covering Up the Facts
• 3.3 Two principles of euphemism
• 3.3.1.Analysis of Appropriate Principle
• 3.3.2.Analysis of Self-protective Principle
• 3.4 The Co-operative Principle
• 3.4.1 The Violation of the Maxim of Quality
• 3.4.2 The Violation of the Maxim of Quantity
• 3.4.3 The Violation of the Maxim of Relevance
• 3.4.4 The Violation of the Maxim of Manner
• 3.5 Politeness Principle and the Face Theory
• 3.5.1 The Politeness Principle
• 3.5.2 Observation of the Politeness Principle
• 3.5.3 The Face Theory
• 3.5.4 Observation of the Face Theory
• Chapter 4 Pragmatic Failures in Euphemisms of Cross-Culture Communication
• 4.1 Pragmalinguistic Failure in Euphemisms
• 4.2 Sociopragmatic Failure in Euphemisms
• Chapter 5 Conclusion
• 5.1 Conclusion
• 5.2 Limitation
• Works Cited
• Acknowledgements