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Many scholars changed their focus on the study of euphemism in sociolinguistics perspective when sociolinguistics was introduced into China.
3. Definition and Classification of Euphemism
3.1 Definition
Euphemism is an important language phenomenon, which plays an irreplaceable role in human’s society activities and interpersonal communication. People use frank and straightforward expression in general conditions when they use language to communicate with others, thus forming direct speech. However, the euphemism is a kind of common linguistic phenomenon which exists relatively to direct speech. The fundamental attribute of language is a kind of social attribute, which embodies in their communicative functions, and euphemism is an important and indispensible approach where languages can realize their communicative functions, therefore, the research of euphemism takes an extremely important place in language research.
Euphemism originates from the Greek word “euphemism”. “Eu” carries the meaning of “good or sounding well”, and “pheme” means “speech or saying”. The meaning of the word “euphemize” is “to speak with good words or in a pleasant manner”, while “euphemism” is “the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant”, thus forming “words of good omen or good speech”.