| ACKOWLEDGEMENTS | 第1-5页 |
| Abstract | 第5-7页 |
| 摘要 | 第7-12页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第12-15页 |
| ·General descriptions of euphemisms | 第12页 |
| ·Significance of the study | 第12-14页 |
| ·Overall structure of the thesis | 第14-15页 |
| Chapter Two Literature Review | 第15-23页 |
| ·Definition of euphemisms | 第15-16页 |
| ·Classification of euphemisms | 第16-18页 |
| ·The positive and the negative euphemisms | 第16-17页 |
| ·The unconscious euphemisms and the conscious euphemisms | 第17页 |
| ·Other classification of euphemisms | 第17-18页 |
| ·Theoretical framework for the study | 第18-20页 |
| ·The three-level classification of culture | 第18-19页 |
| ·Cultural value orientations | 第19-20页 |
| ·Previous studies of euphemisms | 第20-23页 |
| Chapter Three A Contrastive Study of Euphemisms in Terms of Linguistic Features | 第23-38页 |
| ·Formation of euphemisms | 第23-31页 |
| ·Phonetic features | 第23-24页 |
| ·Lexical features | 第24-26页 |
| ·Grammatical features | 第26-28页 |
| ·Pragmatic features | 第28-29页 |
| ·Rhetorical features | 第29-31页 |
| ·Principles responsible for the generation of euphemisms | 第31-34页 |
| ·The principle of distance | 第31-32页 |
| ·The principle of relation | 第32-33页 |
| ·The principle of pleasantness | 第33-34页 |
| ·Underlying laws responsible for the development of euphemisms | 第34-38页 |
| ·The law of exclusion | 第34-35页 |
| ·The law of succession | 第35-38页 |
| Chapter Four A Contrastive Study of Euphemisms in Terms of Cultural Features | 第38-58页 |
| ·Language, culture and euphemisms | 第38-39页 |
| ·Interpersonal culture reflected in English and Chinese euphemisms | 第39-48页 |
| ·Euphemisms and the religious faith | 第39-41页 |
| ·English euphemisms and Christianity | 第39-40页 |
| ·Chinese Euphemisms and pluralism in Chinese religious faith | 第40-41页 |
| ·Euphemisms and the cooperative behavioral patterns | 第41-45页 |
| ·Euphemisms and the Cooperative Principle | 第41-43页 |
| ·Euphemisms and the Politeness Principle | 第43-45页 |
| ·Euphemisms and the Defensive Principle | 第45页 |
| ·Basic communicative functions of euphemisms | 第45-48页 |
| ·To evade | 第45-47页 |
| ·To upgrade | 第47页 |
| ·To disguise | 第47-48页 |
| ·Some cultural value orientations reflected in English and Chinese euphemisms | 第48-58页 |
| ·For “old age” | 第49-50页 |
| ·English euphemisms for “old age” | 第49-50页 |
| ·Chinese euphemisms for “old age” | 第50页 |
| ·For “poverty” | 第50-51页 |
| ·English euphemisms for “poverty” | 第50-51页 |
| ·Chinese euphemisms for “poverty” | 第51页 |
| ·For “marriage and birth” | 第51-53页 |
| ·English euphemisms for “marriage and birth” | 第51-52页 |
| ·Chinese euphemisms for “marriage and birth” | 第52-53页 |
| ·For “name addressing” | 第53-55页 |
| ·English euphemisms for “name addressing” | 第53-54页 |
| ·Chinese euphemisms for “name addressing” | 第54-55页 |
| ·For “occupation” | 第55-56页 |
| ·English euphemisms for “occupation” | 第55页 |
| ·Chinese euphemisms for “occupation” | 第55-56页 |
| ·Discrimination as reflected in Chinese euphemisms | 第56-58页 |
| Chapter Five Conclusion | 第58-61页 |
| ·Major findings | 第58页 |
| ·Implications | 第58-60页 |
| ·Suggestions for Further Study | 第60-61页 |
| References | 第61-65页 |
| Appendix: published papers | 第65页 |
