Лінгвістичні проблеми ідентифікації евфемізмів як мовного феномену

Abstract

In the article, the definition and classification tendencies of the «euphemism» concept are taken into consideration. In the study of any linguistic concept, the creation of a theoretical and methodological basis is of fundamental importance. This basis can be used for a deeper analysis of the phenomenon itself, as well as for the comparative analysis of the notion with regard to other linguistic elements. However, if it is a challenge just to define the phenomenon, then further studies – at horizontal and vertical levels, synchronously or diachronically – will cause significant difficulties. The main problem of euphemism definition lies in the fact that this phenomenon is a multi-functional and multi-structural element. It can be represented in different forms, for instance, words or word-combinations. A single euphemistic construction can be considered as a part of another group of the language vocabulary. In the article, the main highlight is devoted to the English euphemistic constructions, but the author also mentions the connection of euphemism realization in different languages. This feature allows considering euphemism a language universal. Since the article substantiates the euphemisms’ being a linguistic universal, the author also mentions about the connection between the euphemistic vocabulary and other language layers. The article highlights the impact of such a connection on the problem of defining the term «euphemism». The article is focused on structuring the phenomenon and determining the main functions of the euphemisms’ use. Among the characteristic features of euphemisms, there is the replacement of direct nomination as a result of a historically and socially motivated ban on its use, as well as the presence of authorial self-censorship, if the use of a direct name contradicts the pragmatic intentions of the addressee. The use of euphemisms allows a speaker (a so-called owner of the message) to avoid focusing on the negative sides of the information, to change the communicative situation and make it advantageous and beneficial for the addressee, to manipulate and to form the response of the massage’s recipients. The author identifies the reasons that hinder the creation of a unified classification base and generally unified concept of «euphemism». Moreover, the author states that euphemisms as a linguistic universal are an integral part of a language system (English as well). Their peculiarities are manifested in the daily language, both its written and spoken forms, that is, this linguistic phenomenon is a clear example of the two-way interaction of the social development processes and the people’s worldview principles.