摘要

    本文着重阐述委婉语在商务英语信函中的应用，以使商务人员在商务英语信函中能正确使用委婉表达，以达到最好的效果，最终能帮助完成交易。委婉语的产生是从禁忌开始的，当时的宗教禁止使用某些词汇，对神灵的崇拜，对自然现象的不解，还有对那些人们不愿意说出禁忌的事物，而又不得不指明时，委婉语便随之产生了。为了使委婉语在商务英语信函中的应用深入人心并且融会贯通，本文首先介绍了委婉语的三个交际功能：忌讳功能、礼貌功能、掩饰功能。在这个基础上，再深入研究委婉语的三个构建方法：虚拟语气法、被动语态法、消极词汇法。通过前两部分的大量介绍，再转到本文的重中之重，如何在商务英语信函中正确地使用委婉语。这一部分的介绍不仅是理论上的详细解释，也结合了实际例子的具体分析，通过这样的知识与实践的结合达到本文最终的目的。

关键词： 委婉语；商务英语信函；交际功能；构建方法；实际例子

Abstract

This paper focuses on the use of Euphemism in business English correspondence, so that business people could use euphemism correctly in business English letters to achieve the best results, and ultimately to help complete the transaction. Euphemisms started from the taboo, when the religion forbid people to use some words, such as the worship of God, the curious of natural phenomena, as well as those people do not want to say but have to specify. Then euphemism appears. In order to make the euphemism in business English letters penetrated into people’s heart and make it easy, this paper firstly describes three communicative functions of euphemism: taboo function, politeness and concealing function. On this basis, it further deeply studies three construction methods of euphemism: the subjunctive method, the passive voice method, the negative words method. Through the first two parts of general introductions, it then goes to the top priority of this article “how to use euphemism correctly in the business English letters. This part is not only a detailed explanation from the theoretical part, but also the detailed analysis of the combination of the practical examples. This combination of knowledge and practice will finally help to achieve ultimate goal of this paper.

Key words: euphemism; business English Letter; communicative functions; construction methods; practical examples