摘要：

委婉语是一种语言现象，也是一种社会现象，已经渗透到人们生活的方方面面。利用委婉语有利于提高交际效果和保持和谐的人际关系，在人类文明日趋发展和人际交往不断扩大的今天，委婉语更是发挥着其不可或缺的作用。委婉语是礼貌语言之一，即在礼貌方面规范人的语言行为,为人们礼貌用语的正确使用提供了一个可借鉴与遵循的标准。本文首先进行系统介绍英语委婉语与礼貌原则，然后研究委婉语是如何体现及遵守Leech(1983)的礼貌原则的六大准则的。通过该文的研究希望能够更清楚地了解委婉语，从而更好地使用委婉语，给我们的生活带来便利。

关键词 ；委婉语；礼貌原则；准则

Abstract:

Euphemism is not only a social lingual phenomenon, but also a cultural phenomenon. It             has penetrated into people’s life. Using euphemism is good to improve the effect of communication and keep harmonious relationship with others. With the development of human civilization, euphemism plays an important role in daily life. Euphemism is one of polite languages. This thesis first introduces euphemism and politeness principle in system, and then studies how euphemism reflects and follows Leech’s politeness principle. It will enable us know more form euphemism, use euphemism correctly.

key words: euphemism; politeness principle; maxim

1. Introduction
In English, euphemism comes from Greek word-“euphemismos”. In 1780s, George Blunt, an English writer, used ‘euphemism’ for the first time. He gave a definition of euphemism: Euphemism is a good or favorable interpretation of a bad word. It is one of the important rhetorical means and widely used in all eras and cultures. Enright (1985) wrote, “A language without euphemisms would be a defective instrument of communication. Euphemism is not only a social lingual phenomenon, but also a cultural phenomenon. It has penetrated into people’s life. Because of the powerful communication functions, the use of euphemism has been so deeply rooted in all aspects of our social lives. In real life, to avoid embarrassment, some things or behaviors cannot be expressed directly. So we need the ambiguity of words to avoid causing embarrassment. “Without euphemisms the world would grind, unveiled, to a halt, universal animosity covering all”.