Abstract: Desperate Housewives has been broadcasted for eight seasons since 2004. It has unfolded a vigorous mass campaign for housewives. The series is mainly talking about the daily life of the four housewives. The tone of the series is full of humor and euphemisms. This paper explains courtesy and taboo function of English euphemism in communication through Desperate Housewives. Based on the Examples of dialogue among characters, this paper focuses on the analysis of euphemism in the specific contexts of communication and explores the motivations and the created affects for the use of euphemisms, which can be treated as the constructive suggestions for English learners to better use euphemisms in communication.

Key words: Desperate Housewives; euphemism; communicative function; politeness principle; taboo principle

CONTENTS

摘要

Abstract

1. Introduction1

1.1 Main Characters in Desperate Housewives.1

1.2 Definition of Euphemism.2

2. The Principle of Taboo Applied in Conversations in Desperate Housewives. 3

2.1 Principle of Taboo3

2.2 Application of PT in Desperate Housewives3

3. The Principle of Politeness Applied in Conversations in Desperate Housewives5

3.1 Principle of Politeness6

3.2 Application of PP in Desperate Housewives6

4. Conclusion7

Bibliography.8

Acknowledgements9