Abstract: Being a universal linguistic phenomenon, euphemism plays an important role in our daily life and is a kind of roundabout and indirect expression that people uses to fulfill desired communicative goals. Based on their achievements，the author makes a tentative analysis of English euphemism from the perspective of pragmatics. In this paper, firstly, the author tries to trace back to the theories relevant to English euphemism and analyze its definition, classification, principles and formation. Secondly, the author focuses on the exploration of social functions of English euphemism while some typical examples are to be employed to make the thesis more convincing.

Key words: English euphemism; pragmatics; pragmatic formation

摘要：作为一种普遍的语言现象,委婉语在人们的日常交际中担当着非常重要的角色,是人们为谋求理想的交际效果而采取的一种婉转间接的语言手段。本文作者借鉴他们的研究成果，试从语用学角度对英语委婉语进行分析。首先，本文从委婉语作为一种语言学概念入手，分析其定义、分类原则及构成；其次，探讨了英语委婉语社会交际功能。文中作者将运用了一些典型的例子对英语委婉语的语用功能进行分析,以此使得论文更具有说服力。

关键词：英语委婉语；语用学；语用功能

　　To sum up, as an important language phenomenon, euphemism will surely have an influence on the human language. A euphemism is the substitution of a mild or vague expression for a harsh or blunt one. It is applied to achieve polish ness and politeness to lessen the degree of unpleasantness and offensiveness. Orientated and developed from different cultural backgrounds，English and Chinese have tremendous differences. English euphemisms have their own distinctive features，and like stammers or tears，euphemisms in English will be created whenever a man can’t call a spade a spade. Therefore，barriers emerge when people in China communicate with ones from English-speaking countries. With the help of adequate mutual understanding of cultural differences and with the development of communications，Chinese people can easily use English euphemisms to talk with native English-speakers. Understanding and having a good command of the euphemism can be understood more effectively. The use and understanding of euphemisms in English become indispensable if one wishes to understand thoroughly English cultural backgrounds including their different approach to life and ways of thinking.