摘　要

委婉语是一种用间接语或含糊说法代替直言传递意思的表达方式，是语言中不可或缺的一部分。它既是语言现象又属于文化现象，作为一种交际工具, 在人们的日常交往过程中得到了广泛的应用和关注。许多语言学家、学者已从修辞学、语言学、语用学及社会语言学的角度对委婉语进行了研究。目前，这方面的研究硕果累累。本文将借鉴其他学者的研究成果，查询各方面的资料，从英汉委婉语的使用范围，目的功能，构成方式，文化背景，翻译技巧等五个方面对其加以比较分析，研究其共性和个性，从而加深对委婉语的认识，得出英汉两种语言在某些方面的异同之处,使人们更加深入了解英汉这两种语言和文化。这对于我们的外语学习和跨文化交际均有很大的指导意义。

关键词：英汉委婉语；比较分析研究；文化差异

Abstract

The euphemism is an expression which uses indirect language or ambiguous statement instead of direct ones to express oneself politely. It is an indispensable part of the language. It is not only a linguistic phenomenon, but also a cultural phenomenon. As a communication tool, it has been widely used in people's daily life and attracted many attentions. Many linguists and scholars have done a lot of study about euphemism from the rhetoric, linguistics, language learning and social linguistics. At present, research in this area has gained innumerable great achievements. This paper will take examples by some of these research results and also will use much other information from Internet or library. The content of this paper will mainly include five parts: they are the range of use, communicative function of euphemism, formation, culture and the translation of Chinese and English euphemism. Study the similarity and individuality of euphemism through the contrast and analysis about these aspects. Then depending on the deep understanding of the euphemism, it will come to the similarities and differences of both English and Chinese euphemism in some ways, at the same time it can make people have more information about these two languages and culture. What’s the most important one is that this has a great guiding significance for our foreign language learning and intercultural communication.

Key words: English and Chinese euphemism; compare and analysis;cultural differences
 
1 Introduction
As we all know, the world we live on is becoming smaller and smaller. At the same time, people from different areas are getting closer, which will be the trend of the development. However, because of the history, region or other reasons, there must be many different aspects. If people want to have good friendship with others, they have to communicate with each other. Therefore, sapiential human beings have created language. Language is an important way of communication. The language is a tool for human beings to think, communicate and express feelings. Despite the arbitrary nature of language, there is no necessary link between the word and the things, but the power of language is magic. In the use of certain words, the image of the things these words referred to will be very realistic and vividly presented in front and this may cause some kinds of psychological reaction.