委婉语(Euphemism)来源于希腊语的Euphemisos,意思是speaking good fame,即说好听的话。委婉语是指讲话时运用温和顺耳的言词,避免产生令人敏感生厌或欠文雅之感。委婉语作为一种重要的修辞手段,普遍存在于各种语言之中。由于文化差异,英汉委婉语在表达形式上有所不同,但就其语用功能来说大体一致。 Euphemism comes from the Greek Euphemisos, meaning speaking good fame, that is to say nice words. Euphemism refers to the use of mild and smooth ears when speaking, to avoid creating a sense of irritability or lack of sophistication. Euphemism, as an important rhetorical device, is ubiquitous in all kinds of languages. Due to cultural differences, English and Chinese euphemisms have different forms of expression, but their pragmatic functions are generally the same.