PECULIARITIES OF USING EUPHEMISMS INSTEAD OF OBSCENE VOCABULARY AND THEIRFUNCTIONS IN THE LITERARY TEXT

Abstract

The article deals with English euphemistic lexical units in the nominative aspect. Peculiarities of using euphemisms instead of obscene vocabulary and their functions in the literary work are analyzed. Motivational preconditions for the use of euphemisms by speakers are considered, i.e. their intention to avoid taboos, the desire to be polite. Further study of the phenomenon of euphemism in English vocabulary can be carried out by studying the interaction of euphemism and slang, comparative study of euphemisms in the British and American versions of English. The urgency of the problem is that the functioning of euphemistic vocabulary in works of art is insuffi ciently studied in linguistics. The aim of the article is to study euphemistic vocabulary, its composition, its functioning in Ukrainian and English. The scientifi c novelty is that euphemistic lexical units are studied for the fi rst time in terms of functioning and expression of emotions. The object of research is euphemistic lexical units used in the work of J. Salinger. The subject of the article is the role and use of euphemistic lexical units. The study of euphemisms and the taboos in two languages (English and Ukrainian) as one of the most common ways of linguistic representation of the magic function of the language is urgent. Investigation of the functions of the euphemisms itself allows us to substantiate the signifi cance of the magic-mystical function and contributes to the contractual study of language units – euphemisms. The results of our research can be used at seminars on typology courses, stylistics, text interpretations and the theory and practice of translation. Among the commonly used euphemisms there are a large number of units formed by the method of phraseology. Phraseological euphemisms refl ect the dual intention of the speaker: the designation of objects of reality and the expression of attitude to them with the help of expressive linguistic means and the substitution of nominations associated with negative denotation. Euphemisms for “incorrectness” refl ect the desire of speakers to avoid insulting the interlocutor due to discrimination or violation of his human rights.