摘　要

 语言是文化的载体，对反映各民族文化起到重要作用。英语委婉语作为语言的一个分支，其使用范围涉及社会及生活的方方面面。委婉语是以较文雅、悦耳或温婉的言词来代替粗野、刺耳或直露的说法，是人们在语言使用中协调人际关系的重要手段。本文通过研究英语委婉语的定义，起源及其折射出的社会文化现象，分析出英语委婉语的基本特点；通过对比国内外专家学者对英语委婉语的研究，探讨总结出英语委婉语的翻译方法。这有助于我们在学习和跨文化交际中更好地掌握和运用英语委婉语，以期达到在实际翻译工作中加强对委婉语的理解和交流之目的，减少交际障碍，最终促进中西方文化的长远交流与共同繁荣。
 
关键词：英语；委婉语；特点；翻译

Abstract

Language is the mirror and carrier of culture and it plays a very important role in reflecting the cultural connotation in every region. Every person in different countries has his / her own cultural habits and background. Thus, in order to avoid the unhappy, impolite, offending and embarrassed situation people may face in their communication, man has created euphemism. As the most colorful and vivid language variety, English euphemism is an ever-changing set of colloquial words and phrases which generally considered distinguish from the standard language and it is socially said lower than the standard language. Euphemism is a common and long-standing linguistic and cultural phenomenon both in China and western countries. It is widely used in every field and plays an essential role in our daily lives. As a euphemistic and implicit language method, it helps strengthen the interpersonal relationship and the cross-cultural communication. Thus, the thesis will at first introduce the definition, origin and development of euphemism with the social phenomenon which euphemism reflects. Then it will have a comprehensive and thorough analysis to the features and translation strategies of English euphemism through comparing the researches that the scholars have done both at home and abroad. The paper will introduce about six translation strategies of English euphemism. It can help to remove more language and cultural barriers in intercultural communication, strengthen the understanding of euphemism so as to promote the long-term exchanges and common prosperity of Chinese and western culture.

Key words: English; euphemism; features; translation

1 　Introduction
This paper will have a comprehensive and thorough analysis of the features and translation strategies of English euphemism. Euphemisms are powerful linguistic tools that "are embedded so deeply in our language that few of us, even those who pride themselves on being plainspoken, ever get through a day without using them," . It just likes a mirror, which reflects some social and psychological phenomena. Robert Burchfield  even remarked that “a language without euphemisms would be a defective instrument of communication.”