Pragmatic Analysis on Euphemism

学号:240811XXX页边距：上2.5cm，下2.5cm，左2.5cm，右2.5cm，装订线（左）0.5cm毕业论文题目：PragmaticAnalysisonEuphemismandItsImplicatureforTranslation院系：外国语学院专业：英语（国际经济与贸易方向）姓名：xxx指导教师：xxx完成日期：2009年4月1日IAbstractInthecommunicatingchainbetweentheauthor,translatorandreader,thetranslatoractsasanintermediary,orasthereceiverandspeaker/writersimultaneouslyinthecommunicationtriangleintermsofpragmatism.Basedontheprinciplesofpragmatism,thisthesisaimstodiscussthepragmaticelementsofeuphemismbystudyingtheformation(writer/speaker)andreceipt(receiver).Itexploresfirstthereasonswhythespeakerorwriteruseseuphemismandtheprinciplestheymightobservewhenusingit;thenthethesiscontinuestodiscussthepragmaticinferenceofeuphemisms,withitsemphasisonhowthetranslatorunderstandseuphemism.Attheendofthethesis,considerationsandpossiblesuggestionsfortranslatingeuphemismsaregivenoutforreadersreference.Keywords:euphemism；pragmaticprinciplesII摘要在原作者，译者，读者的关系链中，译者处于一个中介人的位置，从语用学角度分析，其实也就是同时处于交际三角中的“受众”与“写作者/演讲者”的两角。本文拟用语学中的基本原理，从委婉语这一修辞格的形成（写作者/演讲者）和接受（受众）这两极出发，探讨与委婉语相关的语用因素，即写作者/演讲者使用委婉语的目的和原则以委婉语受众如何理解委婉语的深层含义，着重探讨译者在翻译过程中如何理解并翻译委婉语。关键词:委婉语；语用学理据iCONTENTSIntroduction1ChapterOneThePurposeandPrinciplesofUsingEuphemisms2I.Thepurposeofusingeuphemism21.Ineffablepurpose22.Urbanizationpurpose33.Palliativepurpose3II.Theprincipleforusingeuphemisms41.Cooperativeprinciple42.Politenessprinciple53.Self-defendingprinciple6ChapterTwoPragmaticAnalysisontheReceiverofEuphemisms7I.Pragmaticinference7II.Oneofthemajorfactorsaffectingpragmaticinference8ChapterThreeFactorsforConsiderationinTranslatingEuphemisms10I.Stylisticfactor10II.Rhetoricfactor10III.Contextualfactor11Conclusion13Bibliography14Acknowledgements151IntroductionAsapopularfigurativespeech,euphemismsarewidelyusedinbothChineseandEnglishliteralworks,newspapersandmagazines;soareinourdailylife(何善芬,2002).InChinese-EnglishorEnglish-Chinesetranslation,theproperrenderingofeuphemismsisanimportantfactor.However,traditionalstudyofrhetorichaslongbeenlimitedtothemodelof“definition+examples+analysis”andhardlyhavemanybreakthroughsbeenseen(宗延虎，2002).Butinfact,rhetoricisaboundarydisciplinewithcloserelationswithsemantics,pragmatics,logics,sociologyetc.Therefore,itcanbeanalyzedindifferentcorrespondingaspects.Inessence,figuresofspeechfallintothecategoryofthedynamicandtwo-waycommunicatingactivity,e.g.apragmaticactivity.Basedontheprinciplesofpragmatism,thispaperaimstodiscussthepragmaticelementsofeuphemismbystudyingtheformation(writer/speaker)andreceipt(receiver).Itemphasizeshowthetranslatorunderstandsandtranslateseuphemismduringthetranslationprocess.2ChapterOneThePurposeandPrinciplesofUsingEuphemismsAccordingtoOxfordAdvancedLearnersEnglisChineseDictionary/WebstersNewCollegiateDictionary,euphemismisakindoffigurativespeechwhichemploystheuseofothers,lessexactbutmilderorlessblunt,wordsorphrasesinplaceofwordsrequiredbytruthoraccuracyandthesubstitutionofanagreeableorinoffensiveexpressionforonethatmayoffendorsuggestsomethingunpleasant.Inthelightofpragmatism,euphemismisinfactindirectspeech,e.g.thespeakerisindirectinexpressinghis/herview.Thefollowingistheauthorsanalysisonthepurposeandprincipleofthisindirectspeech.I.ThepurposeofusingeuphemismsAccordingtoLiGuonan(李国南,2001),rhetoricisgenerallyaninstrumentinspeakingorwriting;however,asafigurativespeech,euphemismismoreapurposethananinstrument.Inusingeuphemism,wetendtolaymoreemphasisonitspurpose,oritsexpressiveeffect.Incommunication,thepurposesofusingeuphemismsusuallyincludethefollowingthree:1.IneffablepurposeEuphemismshavealargebearingontaboosinlanguage.Languagetaboosstemfrompeopleserroneousunderstandingoftherelationsbetweenlanguageandobjectiveworld.Inreality,peopletendtouseeuphemisticexpressionstoreplacethosethingsthatwouldarousefearorpanicinmind.Forexample,peoplealwaysabstainthemselvesfromdirectmentionofsuchwordsas“die,old,sick”;therefore,euphemismisquiteabundantinthisaspectofnaturalphenomenon.TheauthorreviewedtheEnglishrenderingoftheworkADreamofRedMansions,andhereareafewexamplesoftheeuphemisticexpressionof“die”inChineseandtheirrenderinginEnglish:3王夫人向贾母说“这个征候，遇着这样节气，不添病，就有指望了。”贾母说“可是呢。好个孩子！要有个长短，岂不叫人疼死！”（红楼梦：126）“Itsahopefulsign,”LadyWangtoldtheLadyDowager,“ifanillnessgrowsnoworseataseasonlikethis.”“Yes,ofcourse,”repliedtheoldlady.“Ifanythingweretohappentothedearchild,Imsureitwouldbreakmyheart.”(YangHsien-Yi:162)2.UrbanizationpurposeThesecondpurposeofusingeuphemismsistoavoidvulgarityinspeechandcommunication.Thespeakerorwritertendstoblurcertainwordsinmeaningbymeansofsemanticwideningandinflatingandmagnifyingsoastomakethemsoundgeneralandcommonsothatpeoplesdislikeandrepulsionislessened.(范家材,1992)Inaddition,throughtheemploymentofeuphemism,thespeakerorwritercancreatementalalienationbetweenthesignifiedandthesignifierinanattempttoconcealorattenuatethestraightnessorvulgarityofcertaintaboos,suchastaboosrelatedtosexandbodyexcretion.Thefollowingsareallcommoncasesofeuphemismsinthisregard:Defecation(如厕)tobecaughtshort(本义)给了个冷不妨,thecallofnature(本义)自然的需要,CanIaddsomepowder?(本义)我可以茶点粉吗?toeaseoneself(本义)自我轻松一下3.PalliativepurposePalliativepurposeplaysalargeroleintheformationofeuphemismsinsocialproblemsandpoliticallife.Duetoitsfuzzinessandvagueness,euphemismsaremoreoftenthannotbeguilinganddeceptive;therefore,theyhavebecomethetoolsforpoliticianstocheatandfoolthemasses.Sincethe20thcentury,especiallysincethetwoworldwars,manyneweuphemismsinpolitics,economics,diplomacyandmilitaryhavecomeintobeing.OnMay8th,1995,UnitedStatesbombedChineseembassyinYugoslavia,killingseveralChineseembassystaff;however,NATO4authorityclaimedthatwasaninaccuratemilitaryinformationandBillClintonalsocalledthatatragicmistakeinanattempttocoveruptheirwrongdeedstopacifyindignantChinesepeople.(何善芬,2002)Bythesametoken,topacifypeoplespanicduringeconomiccrisis(经济危机),thepublicitydepartmentofAmericangovernmentusedtheexpressionsofeconomicdepression(经济萧条),economicrecession(经济衰退),economicrollingreadjustment(经济起伏的重新调整),economicslowdown(经济减速),economicslump(经济衰弱)successively.II.TheprinciplesforusingeuphemismsTheuseofeuphemismsisinprincipleakindofspeechact.AccordingtoGrice,conversationalparticipantsshouldgenerallyobservesomeconversationalprinciplessoastoensurethesuccessofconversation.Therefore,asaspeechact,theuseofeuphemismshouldalsobesubjecttotherestrictionofsomeprinciplesinconversation.Inthispaper,theauthormainlyexplorethecooperativeprinciple(Grice,1967),politenessprinciple(Brown/Levinson,1978/1987)andself-defendingprinciple(束定芳,1989).1.CooperativeprincipleAmericanlinguistP.Griceputforwardthecooperativeprinciple(CP)inconversationalcommunicationin1967.Accordingtohistheory,participantsofcommunicationshouldcooperatewitheachotherforthesamecommunicationgoal.Hebelievedthatparticipantswouldgenerallyobservethemaximofcooperation,butsometimeswouldalsointentionallybreakcertainprinciples.Thereasonsfortheintentionalviolationoftheseprinciplesisthatthespeakerorthewriterexpectsthereadersorlistenerstoseethroughsurfacemeaningforthehiddenandtruemeaning,orthenon-naturalmeaning.Inthisangle,euphemismsseemtobeinviolationoftheprincipleoftruthfulnessandclearnessforcommunication.However,thisseeminglyviolationdoesntaffectcommunication,forthedeep-seatedmeaningofeuphemismsiscorrectandclear,andisleftforthereceivertoexplore.Therefore,participantsofthecommunicationreachagreementandcooperationinadeeperlevel.5凤姐儿低了半日头，说道：“这个就没法了！你也该将一应的后事给他料理料理。冲一冲也好。”尤氏道：“我也暗暗的叫人预备了；就是那件东西不得好木头，且慢慢的办着呢。”（红楼梦：127）His-fengloweredherheadforawhile.“Thereseemstobelittlehope,”shesaidatlast.“IfIwereyouIdmakereadythethingsforthefuneral.Thatmaybreakthebadluck.”“Ivehadthemsecretlyprepared.ButIcantgetanygoodwoodforyouknowwhat,soIveletthatgoforthetimebeing.”(YangHsien-Yi:163)Inthispieceofconversation,“冲一冲也好。”Thatmaybreakthebadluck./那件东西,foryouknowwhat,seemtohavebreakGricesmaximofquantity,forthespeakerseemstohavefailedtoprovideenoughclearinformation.However,basedonthecontextandknowledge,thelistenercaneasilyunderstandwhythespeakerdidnotsaytheminamoredirectwayandcanequallyeasilyunderstandtherealmeanings.Bothofthesetwoeuphemisticutteranceshavedeeperimplicationsratherthanfacemeanings,butparticipantsoftheconversationfindnodifficultiesinunderstandingthedeepermeaningbecausetheyreachagreementinadeeperlevelofcommunication.2.PolitenessprincipleAsismentionedabove,participantsofconversationshouldobservethemaximofcooperativebehavior;thenwhytheysometimesintentionallybreakthisprinciple?Inansweringthisquestion,BrownandLevinsonadvancedthepolitenessprinciple(PP)in1978and1987.Accordingtothisprinciple,theinflexionandindirectnessofspeechstemfromtheneedofaccommodatingpolitenessinconversation.Euphemismsareequivalentsofthosebluntexpressionsandtaboos;euphemismsareusedtoavoidembarrassmentorvulgarityinordertosavethespeakersfaceorprotectthefaceoftheotherparticipantsofconversation(何自然,1997).Therefore,euphemisticexpressionisoneoftheeffectivewaystoshowpolitenessofspeechbecausethefundamentalfeatureofeuphemismistosubstitutethoseimpoliteand6unpleasantexpressionswithpoliteandpleasantones.3.Self-defendingprincipleShuDingfangputforwardtheself-defendingprinciplein1989,whichisinmutualrestrictionandcomplementaritywiththecooperativeprincipleandpolitenessprinciple.Whentheself-defendingprincipleisincontradictionwiththepoliteprinciple,thelaterwillbesubordinatetotheformer.Hebelievedthatoneofthemotivationsofusingeuphemismsistodefendoneself.(束定芳,1989)Byusingeuphemisms,onecanestablishapositiveimageincommunicationandprotectandelevatehisstatusinthemindsofotherconversationalparticipants.Inaddition,hecanalsoeffectivelykeeptheothersideofthecommunicationfromspeakingrudelybytheemploymentofeuphemism.7ChapterTwoPragmaticAnalysisontheReceiverofEuphemismAsisdiscussedabove,theuseofeuphemismisonetypeofindirectspeech(Levinson,2001:263).Itismoreinferentialinitsnon-naturalmeaningratherthanitsnaturalmeaning.Thentheunderstandingoftheimplicatureofeuphemismsislargelydependentonthereasonableinferenceandreasoningbythereceiver.Pragmaticinferenceistheinferringactivitybythereceiverofthespeechinsearchofthenon-naturalmeaningofacertainspeechact.Thiskindofinferencemayincludeinferringthepurposesofusingeuphemismsasalreadydiscussedabovebecauseinferringwhythespeakerorwriteruseseuphemismsinacertainoccasionorcontexthelpsfacilitatethereceiversunderstandingoftherealimplicatureofsuchaneuphemism.Intranslatingeuphemisms,thetranslatorfacesthetaskoftransferringintorealitythepossibilityofthebestcommunicatingeffectofthespeakerorwriter.Sothekeytothepragmaticinferenceliesinhowtofindouttherealimplicatureofthiskindofindirectspeech.I.PragmaticinferenceTheuseofeuphemismisinessencethesubstitutionofwordsandexpressionsinaparadigmaticrelation,whichisusuallyachievedthroughtheemploymentofthesaurus.Thiskindofsubstitutionisinfactsemanticequivalent,widening,inflatingandblurring.Theunderstandingofeuphemismistheprocesswherebyallkindsofindirectinstrumentsofspeecharebrokenandthesignifiedidentified.AccordingtoXuLina(徐莉娜,2002),theimplicatureofsomeeuphemismsareestablishedbyusage,whilesomeothersarenot,orconventionalandnon-conventional(Levinson,2001:126).Therefore,euphemismscanbedividedintotwocategories,oneisconventionaleuphemismwhoseimplicatureisestablished,theotherisnon-conventionaleuphemismwhoseimplicatureisnotestablishedandlargelydependentoncontext.Fortheformertype,itsstyleofwritingandpragmatic8functionsarealreadyestablishedbyusageandonlythesignifyingfunctionisleft.Sincetheimplicatureiscomparativelystable,thereceptorcanusuallyidentifythesignifiedandcorrespondingpragmaticmeaningeasily.Forexample,wealwaysuse“inthefamilyway”“weartheapronlower”andsoontodescribethewomanwhoispregnant.Incontrast,theimplicatureofthenon-conventionaleuphemismisusuallysubjecttothecontext.Itiscasual,unstable.Therefore,withoutproperbackgroundknowledgeandcontextualawareness,onemayfinditdifficulttounderstandorfindoutitsimplicature.Thefollowingisanexampleinthisrespect:(NicholasNegroponte,directorofMITsMediaLab,aleadingthinktankinthisnewworld,remembersthatbackinthe1970s,agovernmentagencygavehimagrantontheconditionthatheremovethewordmultimediafromhisproposal.)“TheywereafraidthatwewouldgetoneofPromiresGoldenFleeceawards,”hesays.(AdvancedEnglish)“他们认为多媒体的提法愚蠢之至,担心我们会因此被授予普罗斯麦的金羊毛奖.”Forthisexample,readerswithrelevantknowledgecaneasilyidentifycertainrelationbetweenthewinneroftheprizeandtheprizeofPromiresGoldenFleeceawardstheplanofthemultimedianotionwasconsideredeitherfoolishortoocostly.However,forthosewithsuchknowledge,theywouldfindthemselvesatalossabouttheimplicatureofthiseuphemisticphrase.ThoughthetranslatorretaintheformofGoldenFleeceawardsinhisChineserenderingof金羊毛奖,theimplicatureofthiseuphemismisnotreflectedbyitsChineserendering,butrather,ithastobeobtainedbyreadersproperinferencethroughthecontext.II.OneofthemajorfactorsaffectingpragmaticinferenceInexploringtheimplicatureofeuphemisms,translatorsmayfindtherearemanyfactorsaffectingtheirinferenceprocess.Thesefactorsmayincludegeneralintelligence,rhetoricandcontextualknowledge,cross-culturalawareness,pastexperiencesetc.here,theauthorputshisemphasismainlyontranslatorscross-9culturalawarenessandhopestoenhancetheircross-culturalknowledgebydiscussingthedifferencesbetweenChineseandEnglisheuphemism.Basedoncommonemotionsandhabits,manysameorsimilareuphemismsexistinbothEnglishandChineselanguages;theyareequivalentstoeachother;however,alsoinexistencearesomeotherswhichareuniqueinonelanguageandlacktheirequivalentsintheother.Translatorsshouldpaymoreattentiontothelatertypebyenhancingtheircross-culturalawareness.Here,theauthorintendstostresstheeuphemisticdifferencesbetweenChineseandEnglishlanguagesandcultures.Thedifferencesaremainlymanifestedinthefollowingtwoaspects:Inthefirstinstance,bothEnglishandChinesesocietymaysharethesamesituation,buttheEnglishspeakersmayuseeuphemisticexpressionswhiletheChinesespeakersmaysimplycallaspadeaspade,orviceverse.Acaseinpointistheappellationsandtitles.Duetohistoricalandculturalfactors,Chinesepeopleattachgreatimportancetotheappellationsandtitlesofothers;itisusuallyregardedimproperandoffensivetocallpeopleelderorhigherinsocialstatusthanoneselfdirectlybytheirnames;however,inasocietywhichemphasizesmuchondemocracyandequality,itisnosurprisingtofindkidscallingtheirparentsorevengrandparentsstraightbynames.Inthesecondinstance,therealsoexistsomeeuphemisticexpressionsseeminglysimilarinforminbothChineseandEnglish;however,infact,theimplicaturesoftheseeuphemismsmaybepolesapartintwocultures.Forexample,gowestisaeuphemisticexpressionexistinginbothChineseandEnglishlanguages.InChinese,ithastheimplicatureofdeathorgotoheaven;however,inEnglish,itoriginallymeansthesunsetsinthewest;later,itsmeaningwasdevelopedfurther,meaningcarryingtheAmericansoldiersthatdiedinthefirstworldwarbacktotheirhomeland,forAmericaistothewestofcontinentalEurope.10ChapterThreeFactorsforConsiderationinTranslatingEuphemismsAsismentionedabove,manydifferentfactors,includingrhetoric,stylisticandcontextualonesandsoon,mayallaffectthepragmaticinferenceofeuphemismbyitsreceiverandeventuallytheunderstandingandexpressiveeffectofit.Therefore,itisadvisableforthetranslatortoattachgreatimportancetothesefactorswhilepayingconstantattentiontocross-culturaldifferencesintranslatingeuphemisms.Heretheauthorliststhreeelementsdeservingtranslatorsconsideration.I.StylisticfactorWhiletranslatingeuphemisms,translatorsshouldalwaysbearinmindthestylisticdifferencesinrenderingthesameeuphemismintodifferentwritingstyles.Amostobviousexampleisthetranslationofdieor死.Diehasatleastseventydifferentexpressions,suchasperish,expire,emitthelastbreath,endonesdays,passaway,crosstheStyx,returntotheearth,slideintooblivion,tokickthebucket,togotoNirvana,topaythedebtofnature,tojointhechoirinvisible,etc.Incorrespondence,死alsohasmorethan120equivalentsinChinese,like谢世,徇情,牺牲,毙命,羽化,圆寂,夭折,回老家,添沟壑,寿终正寝,跨鹤西游,呜呼哀哉,三长两短,马革裹尸,百年之后,地下修文,山高水低,etc.whiletranslatingdieinaformalstyle,onemayhavetoavoidthedictionof回老家,翘辫子,玩儿完,etc;bythesametoken,whiletranslating死intoEnglishinaninformalorcolloquialstyle,onemaychoosethesuchwordsaskickthebucket,jointhemajority,toanswerthelastcall,andsoonratherthanperish,expire,croak,etc.Inconclusion,thestylisticfactorsforthetranslatorsconsiderationmainlyconcernthesubtledifferencebetweenawordsdenotationandconnotation,itsstylisticcoloraswellasitsregister.II.RhetoricfactorAccordingtoLarson(Larson,1998),intranslatingeuphemisms,oneshouldtrytoemploytheequivalentofeuphemisticexpressionintargetlanguage.However,it11shouldalsodependontheresponseoftheprospectivereceiverofitandtheconditionofthetargetlanguage,becausenoteveryeuphemisminthesourcelanguagehasitsequivalentinthetargetlanguage(asin徐莉娜,2003).Therefore,oneshouldalsoabstainoneselffromblindlyseekingequivalentonlyinforminsteadofinmeaning.Thefollowingaretwoexamp