摘  要

在日常生活中，委婉语是一种普遍的语言和文化现象。随着委婉语的重要性越来越为人们所关注和认识，委婉语已经成为跨文化研究的重要对象之一。在大多数情况下，委婉语能够掩饰一些令人不快的或一些令人尴尬的事情。因此委婉语在人际关系中起着润滑剂的作用。在翻译过程中，委婉语的翻译与中西方普遍存在的社会文化现象相联系。随着文明的发展，委婉语沉淀了丰富的文化内涵与蕴藏。不同的文化中,委婉语有各种的差别。本文通过研究委婉语的起源与发展及东西方文化在宗教、等级观念以及礼仪方面的差异, 对东西方委婉语进行对比研究。作者对翻译规律、分类和功能等进行了初步探究，以期更好地进行翻译工作，促进跨文化交流, 减少交际失败或失误。

关键词：委婉语；对比；翻译
 
Abstract

Euphemism is a common linguistic as well as cultural phenomenon in daily life. It is not only euphemistic words, sentences, discourses, but also a way of expression by the application of language to communication. In a sense, without proper application of euphemism, communication would be impossible. Euphemism has become one of the major subjects of cross-cultural communication studies as people come to realize the significance of euphemism. In most cases, euphemism can cover unpleasant, disgusting things and can also hide embarrassing things. Therefore, we can say it is a kind of “lubricating oil” in language in communication which oils the human relationship and helps to save face of communicators. Euphemism is so deeply embedded in people’s life that nobody is deserved to neglect it. We hear and employ euphemisms every day in our communication, and we also create euphemism of our own speech community. In the process of translation, the translation of euphemism is associated with common Western social and cultural phenomena. With the development of civilization euphemism and taboos have accumulated rich cultural connotations. In different cultures, euphemism varies a lot. This paper compares euphemisms in east and west cultures by analyzing its origin, development and the differences between east and west cultures in some aspects. In order to carry our better translation work, to promote cross-cultural communication and to reduce failures or errors in communication, the author researches into translation rules, classification and functions.

Key words: euphemism; comparison; translation

1 Introduction

 This paper illustrates that when people are communicating with others, they usually try to find a proper and polite way to accomplish the communication effectively as well as making the conversation comfortable. So people find that euphemism is an ideal tool to smooth the relationship between person and person. Euphemism is a kind of universal linguistic phenomenon. It is the use of a pleasanter, less direct name for something thought to be unpleasant.