从合作原则看英语委婉语的使用

　　Hence the authority can present a false picture to the publicand to beautify or disguise whatever they have done.

　　5.2 Violation of Quantity Maxim"Violation of Quantity Maxim is by providingnon-informative information or by either providing less ormore information than actually needed. Strictly speaking,acronym and abbreviation, two main ways of the formation ofeuphemism, are the two main ways of violating the QuantityMaxim. For example, execute is for execute death penalty, Ineed to go is for I need to go to the lavatory, commfu forcomplete monumental military fuck up , S.O.S forson-of-a-bitch."[26] Some euphemisms or euphemisticexpressions are created by contributing less information toviolate the Quantity Maxim in order to make unpleasant, rudeor offensive words sound more pleasant, polite and elegant.

　　Let us have a look at some expressions used in pressconferences violate the Quantity Maxim of the CP.

　　(5) Q: General Naumann said … military targets?

　　A: (Cohen): As we indicated the ACTORD was … Serbian forceswere really posing a serious threat to several … the cold orfrom starving. That ACTORD was … innocent people. That ACTORDremains … General Naumann has referred to.

　　Let us have a look at another example:

　　(6) Q: General, … Could you … in the event of a conflict and …in terms of a liaison with the NGOs and …?

　　A: Well, their role is…civil-military affairsorganizations, … in the CENTCOM theater …In the above two question-answer patterns in pressconferences we may say that these diplomatic euphemismsviolate the Quantity Maxim because they failed to give us theright amount of information we needed or we may also say thatthey provided less information. By using these euphemisms thespeakers like the diplomats and statesmen etc. can avoidmentioning these unpleasant terms or notions like centralcommand and activation order etc. in press conferences.