A Contrastive Study of Euphemism Between Arabic And ‎English Languages ‎

Abstract

To communicate effectively with others, one has to choose the appropriate way of expressing his ideas. This study aimed to identify the similarities and differences of euphemism between Arabic and English. The significance of the study was to raise public awareness of how important is to use certain words and phrases instead of other ones in particular situations. This study involved Saudi female college students and it took place in Yanbu Industrial City, Saudi Arabia. A group of 10 EFL female students was asked to answer a questionnaire that indirectly tested their usage of euphemisms in their L1 and L2. The results indicated some similarities between Arabic and English use of euphemism and most importantly at vulnerable settings like talking about death followed by culturally sensitive topics that address health status, social classification, and concepts of politeness. In view of the findings, EFL learners sometimes face difficulty in choosing their language cautiously, responsibly and consciously in cross-cultural contexts where the proper use of euphemism is the cornerstone to avoiding embarrassment and face-threatening acts.