从合作原则看英语委婉语的使用

　　2.4.3 First personal pronounsThe use of first personal pronouns like we, ours, us, etc,can also make our speeches sound more euphemistic. You wouldfeel more welcomed if you used we or our quite often. If adoctor said to you how do we feel today, you would feel verywarm and comfortable, because it makes you think that thiskind doctor takes your illness as mutual concern.

　　3 Communicative functions of euphemismsLanguage is for communication, whereas euphemisms may leadto better communication. Using euphemisms can avoid beingpresumptuous in language communication. When we have to touchsome topics that are unpleasant, we tend to choose moreeuphemistic expressions to refer to those painful topics so asnot to hurt the hearer’s feeling. We can find the theoreticalfoundation for this motivation in Leech’s PolitenessPrinciple. Euphemisms just minimize the impoliteness andmaximize the politeness in communication. The functions ofeuphemisms are in agreement with those of Politeness Principletoo, as they both offer more benefit to the hearer and leavemore cost to the speaker, with the purpose that both of thetwo sides will feel respected and have favorable impression ofeach other. As politeness is usually regarded as themanifestation of human civilization, euphemism is one of themost effective strategies to display politeness whilemodulating interpersonal relationship in human communication.

　　3.1 SubstitutionAccording to the definitions of euphemism and we know thata great number of English euphemisms serve as thesubstitutions for verbal taboos. The term taboo ( ta meaning“mark”, boo meaning “exceedingly”) of Polynesian origindenotes anything linguistic and nonlinguistic, which isprohibited or forbidden. Taboo refers to the situation inwhich a word or name can be used in a community only underspecial conditions, whether only by certain persons or only incertain circumstances. Just as violating a cultural taboo canbe quite offensive, so is it with a verbal taboo in pressconferences. The “word” has been and continues to be in mostsocieties perceived as a powerful instrument that may evokeevil spirits, make bad things happen and instigate to violenceand revolution and numerous other activities. While taboo ofwords occurs when a particular topic is considered valid fordiscussion, euphemistic expression or terms are required. Sodiplomatic euphemisms have a very serious reason for being.