A Study on Cultural Connotation of English EuphemismAbstract：Euphemism is a common phenomenon in language, which is a kind of special language form created by people in social activities to seek the ideal communication effect. In many communicative situations, it can disguise unsatisfying, disgusting, embarrassing and even terrifying facts and phenomena. At the same time, it can maintain the speakers image and the listeners self-esteem, so that it could save the two parties faces and make sure that communication go on very well. Therefore, euphemism has become an essential language tool to coordinate interpersonal relationship, which is called “the driving force in the communication”.As a language figures of speech, euphemism is a language phenomenon as well as a social phenomenon and cultural phenomenon. Hence, due to the different cultural background of every nation, the usage of euphemism is different. There are all kinds of euphemism in English, as a language phenomenon it has its own unique origin, feature, constructive method, social function and so on, it also follow a certain law of development. Euphemism is an indispensable part in English culture as well as important topic in cross-cultural communication. In this view, being familiar with and mastering English euphemism not only help us know well the social psychology and cultural connotation in Britain and Americans, but also smooth interpersonal relationship and provoke communicative activities to achieve the ideal effect. This thesis is made up of four parts. The first chapter gives a brief introduction about the definition, origin of English euphemism and different scholars reviews about English euphemism from oversea and domestic. In the second chapter, an elaborate analysis of the formation, development and classification of English euphemism. Chapter three introduces the relationships between English euphemism and cultural connotation, and has a detail analysis to functions of English euphemism. Finally, a conclusion is given to summarize the cultural connotation of English euphemism.Key words: English euphemism; social functions; cultural connotation英语委婉语文化内涵的研究摘要：委婉语是语言中的一种普遍现象, 是人们在社会交往中为谋求理想的交际效果而创造的一种特殊语言表达形式，在很多交际场合中，它能掩饰令人不快，厌恶，尴尬甚至恐惧的事实和现象，同时还能维护说话人的形象和听话人的自尊心，从而保全了交际双方的面子，使交际得以顺利进展下去。因此，委婉语成为交际中必不可少的协调人际关系的一种重要语言工具，被称为“交际中的驱动力”。 委婉语作为语言的一种修辞格，即是一种语言现象，也是一种社会现象和文化现象。因此，由于每个民族不同的文化背景，委婉语的使用也有所不同，英语中存在不同种类的委婉语。作为一种语言现象，它有其独特的来源，特点，构成方法，社会功能等，并遵循一定的发展规律。英语委婉语是英语文化中不可分割的一部分，也是跨文化交际里一个重要的课题，因此，熟悉和掌握英语委婉语不仅能够帮助我们了解英美等国的社会心理和风俗文化，还对改善人际关系，促进交活动达到理想的交际效果有着举足轻重的作用。本文分为四个部分，第一章主要简述了英语委婉语的定义，起源以及古今中外学者对于英语委婉语的研究与理解，第二章详细分述了英语委婉语的形成，发展与分类，第三章作者在前文的基础上分析了英语委婉语与其文化内涵的关系，同时对英语委婉语的社会功能进行了较为详细的探析，最后一章总结了英语委婉语的文化内涵。关键词：英语委婉语；社会功能；文化内涵 ContentsAbstractI1. Introduction11.1 Definition of English Euphemism11.2 Literature Reviews on English Euphemism12. Formation and Development of English Euphemism32.1 Development of English Euphemism32.1.1 Origin of English Euphemism32.1.2 Development of English Euphemism42.2 Classification of English Euphemism52.2.1 Traditional Euphemism52.2.2 Stylistic euphemism63. Cultural Connotation63.1 Relationship between English Euphemism and Cultural Connotation.63.1.1 Religious Beliefs63.1.2 Social Psychology73.1.3 Political Life73.1.4 Business Activity73.2 Functions of English Euphemism83.2.1 Substitution for Taboo83.2.2 Showing politeness83.2.3 Dissimulation94. Conclusion10References .11 Acknowledgments .12 10A Study on Cultural Connotation of English Euphemism1. Introduction1.1 Definition of English EuphemismEuphemism is originated from a Greek word in which its prefix “eu” means “good, well” and the root “pheme” means “speech or saying”. That is to say, the literal meaning of euphemism is to speak with some good words.In fact, English euphemism has experienced a long history, and we can trace back its origin to the ancient times, the early period of human civilization. In 1066, the Norman Conquest, Anglo-Saxons replaced the religious taboos with euphemistic expressions. When it came to eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, English euphemism became more and more popular and widely used around the world. In twentieth century, with the rapid development of science and technology, the euphemism had involved every fields in the world, a lot of new euphemisms sprung up. Nowadays, euphemism tends to be mature, it is not only used as one rhetorical means, but also one strategy which can not be ignored in our daily life.1.2 Literature Reviews on English Euphemism The word “euphemism” is first recorded in Thomas Blounts Glossographia (1656) where it was defined as “a good or favorable interpretion of a bad word”.