ABSTRACT

As a prevalent phenomenon in human language, death euphemism has specific meanings and requirements. This essay, employing a corpus-based means, is intended to explain the specific requirements and registers of English death euphemism by collecting and analyzing data from the BNC, from which we explore the most frequently used relevant words and phrases and we find the fact that the use of death euphemism is mainly restricted by context, register, and categories of speech. 

This essay can overcome the shortcomings in previous studies of lacking supporting data of death euphemism, which is prevalent in present researches. Since the findings are of great significance in written and spoken usage, we furtherly analyse its application to English teaching, translation and cross-cultural communication.

Keywords: death euphemism; BNC; register; context; application

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABSTRACT

摘要

Chapter One  INTRODUCTION-1

Chapter Two  LITERATURE  REVIEW-4

2.1 Previous Studies in China-4

2.2 Previous Studies Abroad-6

Chapter Three  DATA  COLLECTION-8

3.1 Relevant Expressions of Death Euphemism-8

3.1.1 Words-8

3.1.2 Phrases-8

3.2 Distribution of Death Euphemism in BNC-9

Chapter Four  DATA  ANALYSIS-10

4.1 Sociolinguistic Approach to Death Euphemism-10

4.2 Three Sources of Requirements-10

4.2.1 Register-10

4.2.2 Context-13

   4.2.3 Categories of speech.16

Chapter Five  RESULTS AND SIGNIFICANCE-19

   5.1 Requirements of the Use of Death Euphemism.19

  5.2 Significance in Application19

   5.2.1 Translation.19

   5.2.2 English teaching.20

   5.2.3 Cross-Culture communication20

Chapter Six   CONCLUSION.21

REFERENCES-21