There are many kinds of the pragmatic failure in application of euphemism in daily life。 Through comparison and induction of pragmatic failure caused by cultural difference, this thesis offers rationalized strategies to avoid pragmatic failure。 Some pragmatic failure will be caused by cultural difference。 Therefore, analyzing causes of producing pragmatic failure plays an important role in the changing process。 Based on the analysis of the causes of cultural difference, this research gives a comprehensive explanation to the typical misuse cases and lists the strategies to avoid failure so as to help people realize the coordination or promote interpersonal relationship。

    Different types of euphemism have different purposes, mainly including pragmatic failures of taboo words, politeness, disguise, pursuing elegance, humor, and the like。 But in the cross cultural communication, the use of unreasonable expression will lead to the failure of communication。

    The essay explores causes of pragmatic failure from a cultural perspective。 For instance, speakers often ignore different cultural backgrounds or different levels of social intercourse, as well as cultural or psychological differences in context。 论文网

1。3 The Significance of the Thesis

    The significance of the study is to deepen understanding of euphemism so that we then may use euphemism properly。 Through a contrast between Chinese and English pragmatic failure caused by cultural differences, we can understand the  universality and particularity of euphemism。 The study also has positive guiding effects on English teaching, translation, and cross-cultural social communication。

    It must not only satisfy people’s social needs, but also must avoid the contradiction and misunderstanding in verbal and nonverbal communication。 It is following the development and needs of society totally。 Euphemism developed rapidly, and it is much easier to understand the causes and process of euphemism’s failure when seen from a cultural perspective。 Doing research on euphemism may facilitate us to blend in today’s society and to have a pleasure in communication between countries。

1。4 Overall Structure of the Thesis

    This thesis is a comparative study of pragmatic failure caused by euphemism between western and Chinese culture。 Chapter one is an introduction of research, which includes need for the study, and the objective and significance of the thesis。 Chapter two presents the concept of euphemism and studies of pragmatic failure at home and abroad and research gaps of the Euphemism field。 Chapter three puts forward the research questions and collects the data for this thesis。 It gives this thesis certain research directions。 Chapter four shows the causes of pragmatic failures and discusses the similarity and difference of pragmatic failure。 It discusses the pragmatic failure in different cultural contexts and analyzes causes of pragmatic failures between Chinese euphemism and English euphemism and also take some examples of pragmatic failure。 Through comparison and induction of euphemism’s pragmatic failure caused by cultural differences, the thesis offers rationalized strategies to get rid of pragmatic failure。 Chapter five shows the major findings of study and represents limitations and suggestions for the future study。

Chapter Two Literature Review

2。1 Studies of Euphemism

    Neaman and Silver(1983:1)once quoted Flander as saying, “The purpose of satire is to strip off the veneer of comforting illusion and cozy half -truth, and our job, as I see it, is to put it back again。”  This may be the best description of euphemism。

    While in China, euphemism often means to express things indirectly。 It can avoid the conflicts and embarrassing moments in communication。