(单词翻译:单击)
委婉语
Definition 1: A less offensive word substituted for an offensive one. Words referring to the semantic extremes of the holy and the profane2 are often taboo3. To circumvent4 the impediment this raises, we replace the prohibited words with more acceptable ones, called "euphemisms5." Usage 1: "God," as an interjection, for example, is replaced by "golly," and "heck" replaces "hell." One is too holy to be uttered, the other, too profane. In Britain, "bloody6" is considered vulgar, so "ruddy" has replaced it: "He's a right ruddy blighter, he is." A person given to using euphemisms (euphemizing) is a "euphemist" or "euphemizer." Euphemisms are "euphemistic" terms and we use them "euphemistically." Suggested usage: Today, euphemisms are widely used to replace any unpleasant or potentially offensive word. Not only are there a plethora7 of euphemisms for "drunk" (high, pickled, tipsy, snockered) and kill (eliminate, rub out, off, remove), but also for words that refer to jobs and conditions with negative connotations, e.g. "janitor8" (custodian), "crippled" (impaired), "to fire" (to lay off), "insane" (mentally ill). In fact, "pork," "beef," and "mutton" are all euphemisms for "pig meat," "cow meat," and "sheep meat" borrowed from French porc "pig", boeuf "ox", and mouton "sheep." Etymology9【词源】: Today's word was borrowed from Greek "euphemismos "euphemism" from euphemizein "to use auspicious10 words" based on euphemia "auspicious words," a compound comprising eu- "good, true" + pheme "saying, speech." Greek "blasphemos," from which our "blasphemous11" derives12, was originally a similar compound based on blas- "bad" + phem- + os. English "blame" comes from Old French "blasmer," a reduction of Vulgar Latin *blastemere, itself a corruption13 of Late Latin blasphemare "to reproach." |
1 euphemism | |
n.婉言,委婉的说法 | |
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2 profane | |
adj.亵神的,亵渎的;vt.亵渎,玷污 | |
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3 taboo | |
n.禁忌,禁止接近,禁止使用;adj.禁忌的;v.禁忌,禁制,禁止 | |
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4 circumvent | |
vt.环绕,包围;对…用计取胜,智胜 | |
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5 euphemisms | |
n.委婉语,委婉说法( euphemism的名词复数 ) | |
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6 bloody | |
adj.非常的的;流血的;残忍的;adv.很;vt.血染 | |
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7 plethora | |
n.过量,过剩 | |
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8 janitor | |
n.看门人,管门人 | |
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9 etymology | |
n.语源;字源学 | |
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10 auspicious | |
adj.吉利的;幸运的,吉兆的 | |
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11 blasphemous | |
adj.亵渎神明的,不敬神的 | |
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12 derives | |
v.得到( derive的第三人称单数 );(从…中)得到获得;源于;(从…中)提取 | |
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13 corruption | |
n.腐败,堕落,贪污 | |
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