摘　要

英语委婉语是人类交流的常见语言现象，是指用温和、间接的词语来代替尖锐、直接的词语。委婉语的恰当使用可以避免不愉快和尴尬，以此来进行成功的社会交流。在现代社会，委婉语广泛应用于商务沟通中，因此我们必须正确理解委婉语的功能和使用方法。如果缺乏相应的知识，也不了解使用方法，有效的沟通便会遇到阻碍甚至无法实现。因此委婉语在商务沟通中起着越来越重要的作用。
基于前人的研究，本文将关注委婉语在商务沟通中的语用功能，包括避讳功能、礼貌功能、防御功能和掩饰功能。本文分为六大章，包括简介、委婉语和商务沟通的介绍，语用功能、作用和建议以及结论。通过语用功能研究，有利于减少商务沟通的障碍。因此对于英语学习者来说，掌握委婉语的使用方法显得尤为重要。

关键词：委婉语；语用功能；商务沟通

Abstract

English euphemism is often regarded as a common language phenomenon in human communication around the world. As we can see from many dictionaries and scholars, euphemism refers to using pleasant, mild, or indirect words or phrases instead of more accurate or direct ones. The proper use of English euphemism can avoid unpleasant and embarrassment, this can result in successful social communication. In the current society, euphemism is widely used in business communication. Therefore a correct understanding of its functions and usage is indeed needed. Without full knowledge and proper usage of euphemism, effective business communication would be difficult or even impossible. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the study of euphemism and business communication. In a word, euphemism plays an increasingly important role in business communication.
Through the previous studies of euphemism, this paper will concentrate on the pragmatics of euphemism in business communication, including the avoidable function, polite function, defense function and cosmetic function. The paper is divided into six chapters, namely the general introduction, the studies of euphemism and business communication, the pragmatic functions of euphemism in business communication, the roles and suggestions, as well as conclusion. It is useful to reduce the obstacles in business communication by finding out the pragmatic functions and roles of euphemism. Therefore it is very important for English learners to get full knowledge of euphemism and business communication.

Key words: euphemism; pragmatic function; business communication