Document Type : Research Article

Authors

• Dr. Amin Karimnia ¹
• Mohammad Reza Khodashenas ²

¹ Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics, Fasa Branch, Islamic Azad University, Iran

² PhD Candidate of TEFL, Torbat-e-Heydarieh-Branch, Islamic Azad University, Iran

Abstract

Euphemism is a communicative strategy used to frame a polite or less offensive language and to save people’s public face in communication. This study investigated the euphemistic strategies used by Persian speakers in situations associated with death and lying. Warren’s model of euphemism was drawn on as the analytic model guiding the study. To conduct the study, 60 male and female university students were randomly selected. The data were gathered through copies of an open-ended questionnaire and then analyzed. It was found that “figurative expression”, “implication”, “overstatement”, “understatement”, and “particularization” were the most frequently used euphemistic strategies among the participants in the contexts of death and lying. The study also revealed that there was no relationship between gender and the choice of euphemistic strategies. The findings implied that euphemistic strategies might reflect cultural and religious values.

Keywords

• Euphemistic Strategies
• Politeness Strategies
• Taboos
• Death
• Lying
• and Culture

Main Subjects

• 1. Applied Linguistics (Language Teaching and Learning)