ATentativeStudyonDifferentExpressionsofEnglishEuphemismsandTheirFunctions

毕业论文（设计）1.IntroductionThere is a humor:An Australian woman married to an American man.They spent theirhoneymoon in America.And one day,the couple intended to go to a party together.But thebridegroom couldn't find a suitable full dress.The bride took out a birthday suit that she gavehim as a present few days ago and said:"Why not wear your birthday suit?"However,the wholefamily was all astonished.In American English,“in one's birthday suit'”is the euphemistic expression of“naked'”.Sothis embarrassing situation results from the regional differences in euphemisms.The second humor:Once a Paris tourist resided in UK.A landlady told him sadly:"myhusband has just passed to the other side."The guest looked from the fence of the garden but sawno one,feeling confused.The landlady explained:"I mean he's kicked the bucket."The guestcomforted her:"I hope his foot will be better soon."The landlady felt unintelligible and said:"no,he wasn't here,he snuffed it...you know."The guest wondered and said:"But you've gotelectricity here..”The reasons why the guest didn't answer properly are that he didn't realize that the landladyused euphemisms,nor did he understand the "conversational implication"of the euphemisms.Actually,we know what the landlady wanted to say is that her husband had died.The third humor:A:How is John doing with his study at school?B:He's a machine.Here,from the literal meaning of B's reply,he seems hasn't answered A's question.However,we can guess the implication between a machine and study.At last,we can infer thatJohn is hard-working.If the humors are carefully observed,we can realize that the common thing among them isthat euphemisms are used.As an indispensable and natural part of English language,Englisheuphemisms have attracted people's attention for a long time.What's more,English euphemismshave close relationships with the western culture,and truly reflect the life and values of English2