Religions wage peace Essay Example for Free

Religions wage peace Essay Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi used his influence as a revolutionary spiritual leader to bring about political and social improvement. Despite holding no government office, he was a major participant in India’s struggle for independence. On the 2nd of October, 1869, Gandhi was born in the coastal town of Porbandar. His family belonged to the wealthy Vysya or merchant caste. His father Karamchand Gandhi was the prime minister of a princely state. At the age of thirteen he was married to Kasturbai, who was of his own age (Gandhi, Mohandas Karamchand (1869 1948) , 2001). His approach was that of a pacifist and he based his independence movement on non –violent non – cooperation or satyagraha, which means truth and firmness. He started this movement in 1915 and was imprisoned on several occasions by the British authorities. He exerted great influence on the Congress Party and the 1947 independence negotiations. In 1948 British India was partitioned into India and Pakistan, which resulted in a great deal of religious violence. At that point of time he was assassinated. His preaching served as an inspiration for non – violent movements and was adopted by Martin Luther King Jr in the USA, who fought for the rights of the blacks and by Nelson Mandela in South Africa, who opposed apartheid (Gandhi, Mahatma (1869 1948) , 2005). In the beginning, in 1893, Gandhi was practicing law in South Africa, when he started to formulate and practise the principles of satyagraha or non – violent resistance to injustice. Till the year 1914, he led the movement started by the Indian community of that place, which was opposing racial discrimination. In that year, the South African government bestowed a number of important concessions in accordance to his demands. At that juncture he decided to return to India and in the month of January 1915 he set sail for India. In India he assumed the leadership of its freedom struggle from British rule (Gandhi, Mahatma (1869 1948) , 2005). His actions took the form of hunger strikes, the boycott of British goods and civil disobedience. At the same time he made serious attempts to bring about social reform. Even after several rounds of talks and demonstrations, the British chose to ignore the demands of the freedom fighters of India, consequently, Gandhi initiated a non – cooperation movement. This movement had a large number of supporters and many Indians holding official posts in the British Government resigned from their jobs, government agencies were spurned and Indian schoolchildren were removed from schools managed by the British Government. The British were compelled to release Gandhi whom they had arrested (Gandhi, Mahatma (1869 1948) , 2005). Gandhi wanted to usher in Swaraj or self rule in India and economic independence was an essential component of this movement. British industry had adopted measures that had exploited the Indian villagers and had reduced them to extreme poverty. In order to counter this situation, Gandhi advocated the adoption of cottage industries and employed the spinning wheel as a symbol of the movement to revive the indigenous Indian industries and lead the simple lifestyle of the villagers of India (Gandhi, Mahatma (1869 1948) , 2005). He was granted total executive authority by the Indian National Congress, which was the pioneer in India’s freedom struggle, in 1921. Due to the outbreak of a number of violent and armed insurrections against the British, Gandhi stepped back from active politics from 1924 to 1930 (Gandhi, Mahatma (1869 1948) , 2005). On the 26th of January, 1930, a proclamation regarding the Declaration of Independence of India was made by Gandhi. In order to catalyze the process of obtaining independence, Gandhi embarked on a novel civil disobedience campaign. In India the British exercised a monopoly on the production of salt and deemed it a criminal offense for anyone else to produce it. Salt constituted an essential and invaluable commodity for the Indians, a large number of whom were poverty stricken agricultural laborers. Gandhi realized that salt was used by all sections of the society and that an attempt to manufacture salt would appeal to every strata of the Indian society (Graham, 1998). On the 12th of March, 1930 Gandhi and seventy eight of his followers commenced the march from the Sabarmati Ashram to the coastal village of Dandi on the Arabian Sea. The distance covered by them was two hundred and forty one miles and it took them twenty four days to do so. Along the way, they were joined by a tremendous number of people and at one stage the procession was two miles in length. Finally on the 6th of April, 1930 Gandhi reached the sea coast at Dandi and picked up a sod and some salt and boiled it in seawater (Graham, 1998). This act of his shook the British Empire, on which the sun never set, to its very foundations. The man whom a disparaging Churchill had described as a half naked fakir had single handedly defied the might of the British Empire. The British Empire swung into action and arrested Gandhi and his associates. The number who courted arrest was immense and all the jails were overflowing with freedom fighters. Such was the response of the Indians to Gandhi’s call to oppose the British monopoly on the production of salt (Dandi: Salt March). According to Gandhi, there were two difficulties involved with human nature. One was the scope of making a human being perfect and the other related to nonviolence. Gandhi always had an optimistic view regarding men. However, a thorough examination of Gandhi’s political opinions reveals that he never assumed that man had a nature that could be rendered perfect. Further, he opined that reform could only transform a man to a certain extent, but it could never be made perfect. Gandhi proclaimed that it was incorrect to dogmatize in respect of the capacity of human nature to be either besmirched or exalted. This statement clearly elicits Gandhi’s views on man. He also opined that the environmental factors would significantly influence human behavior (Power, March, 1963). Due to individual feelings and thoughts, these efforts have suffered a setback by the negative and irrational forces that reside in them. In particular strong forces like greed and lust could not be diverted by availing oneself of the help forthcoming from other issues. He strongly believed that illogical forces motivated men and this belief was subscribed to by moralists. This is evidenced in situations where there arises a need to participate in a mass movement for realizing socio – psychological interests. Most individuals have shown reluctance to join such movements in the absence of a competent leader. This situation arose in Gandhi’s political career and his opinion regarding this subject was that it was the task of the leader to draw the people towards the objectives. The other issue involves the reshaping of Gandhi’s opinion about the capability of man to engage in acts involving nonviolence. Gandhi had explained in great detail in his thesis that every man had the ability to evaluate the value of ahimsa, where the term ahimsa denotes love or non – injury. Gandhi interpreted ahimsa as individual and social love in thought and deed towards all human beings (Power, March, 1963). Gandhi was prone, on occasion, to restrict this concept of ahimsa as being restricted to himself and his closest followers. For instance, in 1942, the Japanese Army was poised to attack India; at that point of time he permitted all those who did not subscribe to nonviolence to join the effort underway to defend the country. However, the question that remains unanswered is whether he granted such permission because Japanese rule would have been worse than the British rule (Power, March, 1963). The philosophical beliefs of Gandhi were founded on a number of scholarly authorities and social experiences. He staunchly believed that last stage in a man’s journey was the absolute truth, which was described by resorting to theism, pantheism or atheism. He believed that by the use of reason and also by taking the help of faith and intuition, an individual by relying on partial truths could attain the absolute truth. Moreover, Gandhi held that every person was required by dharma to search for this ultimate truth (Power, March, 1963). The method advocated by Gandhi to attain this goal was to follow the path of anasaktiyoga or path of selfless action, which entailed the performance of one’s duty without entertaining a desire for the results of such action. He considered involvement in Indian nationalism to signify selfless action. One of the qualifications to tread this path was the possession of physical, psychological and spiritual courage. He also stated that the man devoid of fear succeeds in realizing his latent prowess by comprehending and practicing ahimsa (Power, March, 1963). The most important characteristic of ahimsa is the attainment of the most advantageous, practical good while treading the path that leads to the absolute truth. The usefulness of such a conviction has to be Its merit is to be elucidated in the light of Gandhis firm belief that it is better to resort to violence than to adopt an attitude of submissiveness or to adopt cowardice in the garb of nonviolence. He also stated that violence to some extent was inherent in the process of living (Power, March, 1963). Gandhi based his interpretation of ahimsa on the Laws of Manu and the tenets of Jainism; however, his views were closer to the beliefs of Jainism. His objective and expectation was that he would be successful in transforming every person in such a manner that they would adapt this ideal as an integral part of their life. This precept of ahimsa was one of the foremost requirements of Gandhi. However, he considered truthfulness to be much more important than ahimsa. In this context he stated that truthfulness was far more important than being peaceful (Power, March, 1963). Despite the recurrent description of his pacifism as being absolute, the fact remains that he did not consider nonviolence to be his main goal. Moreover, when ahimsa is considered to be absolute pacifism, then a distortion of the beliefs that were subscribed to by Gandhi occurs (Power, March, 1963). Some other issues that had been addressed by Gandhi are to be found in his opinion of the optimal political system. In his writings, one sees the recurrence of the panchayati raj or the village republic and a system to ensure the welfare of everyone, which he designated as sarvodaya. These ideas reveal the fact that he sought to usher in a political system that was based on his opinions of truth and ahimsa. Moreover, he abhorred the divorce of political and social responsibility from dharmic obligations or obligations required by the basic principles of cosmic or individual existence (Power, March, 1963). Despite being committed to establishing a functionally and physically decentralized political community, he was not in favor of a society that was stateless. The concepts of Sarvodaya and Swaraj or self rule that is personal or corporate, constitute claims for impartiality, freedom and uprightness, and they do not constitute assaults on the government (Power, March, 1963). If he had been desirous of establishing a stateless system, then he would have had to entertain a more sanguine opinion about people than he did under normal circumstances. Moreover, he would have been compelled to eschew political power like he had rejected personal property. The varieties of Sarvodaya as comprehended by Vinoba Bhave, who advocated the redistribution of land and Jayaprakash Narayan, who was an ideologue, had perhaps aimed at a stateless society. However, this was not a component of Gandhi’s political ideologue (Power, March, 1963). Gandhi never struggled against power, and his disagreement was directed against the legal structure of power and the influence of the bureaucracy on it. This was due to the fact that he considered these factors to be hindrances in allowing self realization among the people, prevented them from obtaining justice and precluded rule based on the universal dharma. The acceptance of these views regarding Gandhi’s beliefs, implies that Gandhi’s display of a lack of interest for public office, both during the freedom struggle and during the transfer of power only shows that he did not believe in special forms of power and not that he disliked political power (Power, March, 1963). Gandhi was attached to political power and this is vindicated by his theory of satyagraha, which he construed to be soul force or direct action of a nonviolent nature, because this stratagem was a system of power, which was used by him in the expectation that he would be able to engender reform in institutions and effect the fulfillment of men. This method assumes that an opponent is redeemable and that it can be used for realizing a range of objectives as long as there is no violation of the principle of ahimsa. However, despite its prominence in his political beliefs, this theory was not a dominant principle of his ideology (Power, March, 1963). Amongst all the political thinkers of India, Gandhi was the most modern. He combined the best practices of the Orient and the Occident and formulated a political philosophy that obtained results bordering on the miraculous. The present day politics, which is steeped in corruption, could benefit enormously by implementing his political teachings. Gandhi has never ceased to be an integral part of the politics of India. Gandhi subscribed to a political philosophy that was founded on a number of tenets that had emerged from what was fundamentally his humanistic outlook towards life. He did not encounter any differences between spiritual and worldly matters. However, he subscribed to a few fundamental beliefs, which he adhered to with great firmness. In an article in his journal Harijan he stated that there existed certain eternal principles which could not be compromised on any account and that a person should uphold such principles even at the cost of one’s life. Gandhi was as good as his word and there were some principles that he never deviated from throughout his life. Moreover, he extended these principles in order to rekindle the flame of the nationalist spirit among his fellow Indians. Non – cooperation and nonviolence have not lost their relevance even in modern times. Violent incidents, lack of interest in addressing major issues and in conducting a rational and meaningful dialogue by political parties are the characteristics of present day Indian politics. The only way to rectify this dismal situation is to adopt the principles that had been formulated by Gandhi. Gandhi gave great prominence to power, which he considered to be a means by which people could improve the quality of their life. His political actions were aimed at attaining power, which according to him was not to be concentrated in the hands of a few members of the elite, but was to be distributed among the public. Further, people had become firmly convinced that revolt was a legitimate manner of expressing one’s dissatisfaction. In the final analysis Gandhi was mainly seized with elevating the consciousness of the masses and bestowing upon them the required authority to determine their destiny. This was a unique contribution to Indian politics. References Dandi: Salt March. (n. d. ). Retrieved July 4, 2007, from Manas: History and Politics: http://www. sscnet. ucla. edu/southasia/History/Gandhi/Dandi. html Gandhi, Mahatma (1869 1948) . (2005). Retrieved July 4, 2007, from The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia including Atlas: http://www.credoreference. com/entry/6428505 Gandhi, Mohandas Karamchand (1869 1948) .(2001). Retrieved July 4, 2007, from World of Sociology, Gale: http://www. credoreference. com/entry/4785371 Graham, S. (1998). The Salt March to Dandi. Retrieved July 4, 2007, from emory: http://www. english. emory. edu/Bahri/Dandi. html Power, P. F. (March, 1963). Toward a Re-Evaluation of Gandhis Political Thought . The Western Political Quarterly , Vol. 16, No. 1, Pp. 99 – 108.

Enver Pasha and the Britain

Enver Pasha and the Britain Ä °smail Ä °lker Yà ¼rà ¼yen Ismail Enver was born in near Constantinople, Istanbul, on 23 November 1881 to a working-class family from Monastir, todays Macedonia. His father, Ahmed, was a Turk, who rose from being a porter to a railway official and acquired the honorable title Bey. Envers mother, Aisha, was an Albanian from the Monastir region. He was an Ottoman general and commander in chief, a hero of the Young Turk Revolution of 1908, and a leading member of the Ottoman government from 1913 to 1918. He became the main leader of the Ottoman Empire in both the Balkan Wars in 1912-13 and in World War I in 1914-18. In the course of his career, he was known by increasingly elevated titles as he rose through military ranks, including Enver Efendi, Enver Bey, and finally Enver Pasha. By January 13, 1914, Enver had made himself Minister of War and played a key role in the Ottoman entry into World War I on the side of Germany. He influenced his associates into an alliance with Germany signed secretly on August 2. Subsequently, he approved the German bombardment of Odessa and Sevastopol, which precipitated the Ottoman Empires entry into World War I. An organizer of the Young Turk Revolution, Enver joined General Mahmud Ã…Å ¾evket, under whose command an Army of Deliverance advanced to Constantinople to depose the Ottoman sultan Abdà ¼lhamid II. In 1911, when warfare broke out between Italy and the Ottoman Empire, he organized the Ottoman resistance in Libya, and in 1912 he was appointed the governor of Benghazi. Back in Constantinople, he participated in the politics of the Committee of Union and Progress, leading the coup dà ©tat of January 23, 1913, which restored his party to power. In the Second Balkan War of 1913, Enver was chief of the general staff of the Ottoman army. On July 22, 1913, he recaptured Edirne from the Bulgars; and until 1918, the empire was dominated by the triumvirate of Enver, Talat PaÃ…Å ¸a, and Cemal PaÃ…Å ¸a. In 1914, Enver, as minister of war, was instrumental in the signing of a defensive alliance with Germany against Russia. When the Ottoman Empire entered World War I on the side of the Central Powers in November 1914, Enver cooperated closely with German officers serving in the Ottoman army. His military plans included Pan-Turkic, or Pan-Turanian, schemes for uniting the Turkic people of Russian Central Asia with the Ottoman Turks. These plans resulted in the disastrous defeat in December 1914 at SarÄ ±kamÄ ±Ãƒâ€¦Ã… ¸, where he lost most of the 3rd Army. However, he recovered his prestige when the Allied forces withdrew from the Dardanelles in 1915-16. In 1918, following the Russian Revolution of 1917 and Russias withdrawal from the war, he occupied Bakà ¼. After the Armistice in Europe, Enver fled to Germany on November 1918. In Berlin, he met the Bolshevik leader Karl Radek, and in 1920 he went to Moscow. He proposed the idea of overthrowing the regime of Mustafa Kemal in Turkey with Soviet aid, but this plan received no support from Moscow. Though the Russian leaders became suspicious of him, Enver was nevertheless allowed to go to Turkistan with a plan for helping to organize the Central Asian republics. Yet, in 1921, the revolt of the Basmachi in Bukhara against the Soviet regime flared up, and Enver joined the insurgents. He was killed in action against the Red Army. After having provided Enver Pashas short biography, this essay will try to state Envers relation with the Britain by considering the situation of his being minister of war, the person who is responsible of the whole Ottoman army. In 1909 or 1910, Enver Bey was sent to London to fetch military goods. The British media announced him as the Turkish Garibaldi because Garibaldi was an Italian general who revolutionized Italy and made it what it is today. Its clearly understood that the British media admired Enver PaÃ…Å ¸a and considered him equal to Garibaldi. Enver PaÃ…Å ¸a was persona non grata for Britain. By 1908, Britain joined the alliance between France and Russia against the alliance of Germany, Austria, and Italia. Thus, Britain started to welcome Russias interests on Istanbul and Frances interests on Syria.   Enver Bey, who is considered to be the leader of the unionists, had no choice but to ask for Germanys help. Since France and Britain rejected the Ottomans demand for money for its own debts, it was Germany that helped Ottoman Empire. As Enver Bey joined the alliance with Germany, a powerful country, he was always disliked by Britain, for he blocked their interests. During the Italo-Turkish War in 1911-12, Enver Bey went to Libya to defend the Ottomans territory along with Mustafa Kemal. He was a major and had the highest rank there. Since the previously overthrown Sultan, Abdà ¼lhamid II, made the navy dysfunctional, Enver needed army troops. Ottoman Empire couldnt send the necessary troops since Britain had invaded Egypt and she didnt allow Ottoman troops go through Egypt. Eventually, Ottoman Empire lost Tripolitania mostly because of Britain. The Mesopotamian campaign was a campaign in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I fought between the Allies represented by the British Empire, mostly troops from Britain and the Indian Empire, and the Central Powers, mostly of the Ottoman Empire. It took place between 6 November 1914 and 14 November 1918. Enver PaÃ…Å ¸a was the minister of war and Ottoman forces was defeated in this campaign. It was resulted in allied victory and the Treaty of Sà ¨vres. The only success for Ottoman Empire during this campaign was the Siege of Kut. Halil Bey, uncle of Enver Pasha, managed to capture the British general Townshend along with his garrison. British leaders attempted to buy their troops out. Aubrey Herbert and T. E. Lawrence were part of a team of officers sent to negotiate a secret deal with the Ottomans. The British offered  £2 million ( £122,300,000 today) and promised they would not fight the Ottomans again, in exchange for Townshends troops. Enver Pasha ordered that this offer be rejected. Historian Christopher Catherwood has called the siege the worst defeat of the Allies in World War I. The Raids on the Suez Canal, also known as Actions on the Suez Canal, took place between 26 January and 5 August 1916 after a German-led Ottoman Army force advanced from Southern Palestine to attack the British Empire-protected Suez Canal, before the beginning of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I. Ottoman troops were led by Cemal PaÃ…Å ¸a, Minister of the Navy, who was under the command of Enver PaÃ…Å ¸a, Minister of War. These two raids resulted in failure for Ottoman Empire. As conjectured in the story published in the Telegraph, Britain offered $5 million to the Ottomans to allow them to cross the straits of Çanakkale, and another $2 million to the Ottomans to get them to pull their troops out of Palestine. The story also says that an international arms dealer by the name of Basil Zaharoff was responsible for the talks between the two sides. The Telegraph story also says that Enver Pasha was contacted by a civil servant by the name of Kerim Bey in Vienna, who was working for the Ottoman Empires Loan Bureau there, and that the suggested bribe later went up to the astonishing figure of $10 million dollars. It can be easily understood these bribe offers were made before the outbreak of the WWI because it outbroke on July 28 and Ottoman Empire joined the war five days later on August 2 in alliance with Germany. Britain wouldnt make such an offer when Ottoman Empire was already her enemy. Enver PaÃ…Å ¸a could accept these offers for the sake of his countrys economy but he rejected them because he knew that his country would be under the risk of Russians if they received aid from the British. Thus, he prevented British navy from sailing to Black Sea. Although it seems to be win for Britain and lose for Ottoman between the relations of the British and Enver PaÃ…Å ¸a, his great struggles for both Ottoman Empire and Turkic people havent been forgotten; thus, his funeral was brought to Turkey by the Republic of Turkey and buried in Istanbul on his death anniversary in 1996. Rest in peace.

The Letters In Pride And Prejudice

The Letters In Pride And Prejudice To reveal how useful the letters are in Pride and Prejudice, we need to look at the history behind letter writing. Jane Austens novel, Pride and Prejudice was written in 1813. The main form of communication then was by letters. However, they did not have a Central Postal system that we have today, where if you want to send a letter or parcel urgently then it could arrive within a few hours, instead they had their mail sent by Mail Coach. Although, you could send the mail by express, which was where you would pay an extra amount of money to have your mail sent faster, for example Mr Gardiners letter in chapter 44 was sent by express. There were no separate envelopes so letters were folded and the address would be written on the back, often they would seal it using wax. If the letter was private then the writer may have made an envelope which would be made from simply folding paper. In chapter 35 Darcy makes an envelope for his letter to Elizabeth because it is so long. Paper would have been extremely expensive in Jane Austens time, so to save paper the writer would write in the margins making sure they used up every space upon the paper. The letters would have been written using a pen made from a quill feather, which would have been sharpened to a point and dipped in ink. The lost original first version of Pride and Prejudice was written in epistolary form and was called, First Impressions. Other eighteenth century authors wrote in this form. A twentieth century novel also written in epistolary form is, The Color Purple, Alice Walker. In total there are 40 letters either paraphrased or directly quoted in the novel Pride and Prejudice. Letters are useful because they give secrecy between two characters allowing for complete privacy. They allow the characters to express feelings they can never convey aloud, they have time to think. Letters allow one to reveal their thoughts more personally and intimately than they can in person. Staring at a blank page of paper is definitely less intimidating than looking into someones eyes. Letters allow you to communicate without travelling yourself. They are good for the use of invitations. Communication is such an important vitality, and letter-writing lacks the loss of words, stuttering, awkward silences, and uneasiness that conversations can sometimes carry. You can read a letter over and over again each time gaining a better understanding. In Chapter 36 Elizabeth reads the letter from Darcy intently it quotes, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ commanded herself so for as to examine the meaning of every sentence., she read and re-read with the closest attention., Again she read onà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. They show that you can study a letter and read beyond the surface. As a reader a letter makes you feel as if you are prying. It gives you a quick coverage so you know what is happening in the novel. They are used to catch up with reasons of behaviour which advances the plot. From using letters it shows Janes ability to provide a variety and also break up the narrative at the same time. From the letters in the novel you can learn about the character of the writer and also the characteristics are revealed without being said bluntly. In the novel Pride and Prejudice, letter-writing is almost as much a form of communication as face-to-face conversation. In fact, letters provide some of the most intense and important climaxes in the story, not to mention some of the most intense secrets. This method that Austen uses effectively conveys the situation without any interruption or delay. The most obvious example of a letter revealing intimate feelings is Darcys letter in chapter 35.The content is informing her of the truth about Wickham. Darcy writes this letter to Elizabeth to apologise and explain for his behaviour. He writes it in a letter because he does not know whether he should reveal the truth to her. He writes You may possibly wonder why all this was not told you last night; but I was not then master enough of myself to know what could or ought to be revealed. He decides to confide in her. He says I write without any intention of paining youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ This reveals that his character is not as arrogant as you are made to think about him and that he is considerate and sensitive which is everything Elizabeth needs to be reading at this time. He is focussed by sticking to the point and uses an anxious but calm tone. His letter is in detail and in great length. He uses a widened vocabulary and his style is varied. He is original and open-hearted. His letter shows that he is an educated writer. This explanation to Elizabeth is a crucial piece of text because it alters the way she thinks and her feelings towards Darcy and Wickham, Her feelings as she read were scarcely to be defined. Until he writes this letter, Darcy does not show his true emotions and feelings towards people. The letter is useful to Darcy because it lets him express his feelings that have been locked up inside him. He trusts Elizabeth enough to confide in her. A complete opposite of Darcy is Mr Collins. There are many distinctive differences between them. In chapter 13 Mr Collins writes to Mr Bennet to invite himself over to Longbourn. He writes the letter so he can meet the daughters and hopefully marry one, which will make him feel better about his inheritance. It is seen as being extremely rude inviting himself, but he assumes it will be acceptable. He writes a brief and formal letter in a pompous tone to reinforce gossip. He uses words such as: honoured, pleased and grateful to grovel and show his respect, especially towards Lady Catherine de Bourgh who he thinks the world of and boasts about knowing. He thinks he is really important by boasting about his position of the Church of England, he says, As a clergyman, moreover, I feel it my duty toà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. This is an example of him flattering himself. He uses a good range of vocabulary to boast of his intellect. He is shown as being patronising towards the Bennets by saying and tha t the circumstance of my being next in the entail of Longbournà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ He likes to remind them that he will inherit their home which will make the Bennets annoyed. His letter is rushed I know this from the way he wanders around the point and does not stay focussed. From this letter it reveals that Mr Collins is already being recognised as a buffoon. Mr Collins and Lydia have similar traits. In chapter 47 Lydia writes to her friend Harriet to inform her that she is planning to secretly disappear to Gretna Green and elope with Wickham. She writes to brag, to send her apologies to Pratt for not being able to dance with him and also to ask Sally to mend a great slit in her worked muslin gown. Lydias letter does not take the plot further or introduce any new storylines. It is a very short and informal letter that is disorganised. All of the information is at random; this is proof that it has been rushed. Lydia shows no respect for the reader, she says, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦if you cannot guess who with, I shall think you a simpleton, She is also inconsiderate towards her family, she writes, You need not send them word at Longbourn of my going,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, for it will make the surprise the greater, when I write to them and sign my name Lydia Wickham. From writing this it shows Lydia to have no concern for possible consequ ences and that she is self-centred. She uses short sentences and a giddy tone, she writes, What a good joke it will be! She does not take anything seriously; everything is a big joke to her. She writes carelessly and with simple vocabulary which suggests her naivetà © and silliness. Lydias letter gets across her character as being selfish, immature, unsophisticated and definitely inconsiderate. One may think that sisters would share the same characteristics but Janes letters in chapter 46 proves that she is nothing like Lydia. Janes letters are to Elizabeth and are about Lydias unexpected elopement with Wickham to Gretna Green. Jane wrote these letters to Elizabeth to inform her of the event and to urge her to return home. Janes letters are long and detailed and are written in a more mature tone than Lydias. They are written in a formal manner. She is also informative and uses a variety of sentence lengths. She uses words such as imprudent and exigence which show her use of a more complex vocabulary. She also uses more complex sentences and a good use of commas and semi-colons for example, I am truly glad, dearest Lizzy, that you have been spared something of these distressing scenes; but now, as the first shock is over, shall I own that u long for your return? Even though she is very distressed and concerned she manages to stay pleasant towards Wickham, she says,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.I am willing to hope the best, and that his character has been misunderstood., and, My father and mother believe the worst, but I cannot think so ill of him. She is still kind even in thoughts. She uses a comforting tone towards Elizabeth because she knows that she will be distraught by the news, she writes, I am very, very sorry., and My dear Lizzyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ She is being sympathetic and a true sister! Jane uses abbreviations for places and names that she knows Lizzy will understand, these are, Mrs F. , W. and Colonel F. The letters reveal that Janes character is comforting, kind-hearted and considerate. I have learned that in Pride and Prejudice the letters are very useful because they move the plot along and introduce new storylines. They give secrecy between two characters and allow them to express their true feelings. The characters will find it much easier to reveal their thoughts more intimately in a letter then saying it in person. Most importantly they allow us to see what the letter reveals about the writers character and give us a better understanding for their actions and behaviour. By Alana Holmes

Moby Dick or White Whale :: essays research papers

Ishmael, the narrator, announces his intent to ship aboard a whaling vessel. He has made several voyages as a sailor but none as a whaler. He travels to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he stays in a whalers’ inn. Since the inn is rather full, he has to share a bed with a harpooner from the South Pacific named Queequeg. At first repulsed by Queequeg’s strange habits and shocking appearance, Ishmael eventually comes to appreciate the man’s generosity and kind spirit, and the two decide to seek work on a whaling vessel together.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  They take a ferry to Nantucket, the traditional capital of the whaling industry. There they secure work on the Pequod, a savage-looking ship adorned with the bones and teeth of sperm whales. Peleg and Bildad, the Pequod’s Quaker owners, drive a hard bargain in terms of salary. They also mention the ship’s mysterious captain, Ahab, who is still recovering from losing his leg in an encounter with a sperm whale on his last voyage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Pequod leaves Nantucket on a cold Christmas Day with a crew made up of men from many different countries and races. Soon the ship is in warmer waters, and Ahab makes his first appearance on deck, balancing gingerly on his false leg, which is made from a sperm whale’s jaw. He announces his desire to pursue and kill Moby Dick, the legendary great white whale who took his leg, because he sees this whale as the embodiment of evil. Ahab nails a gold doubloon to the mast and declares that it will be the prize for the first man to sight the whale.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As the Pequod sails toward the southern tip of Africa, whales are sighted and unsuccessfully hunted. During the hunt, a group of men, none of whom anyone on the ship’s crew has seen before on the voyage, emerges from the hold. The men’s leader is an exotic-looking man named Fedallah. These men constitute Ahab’s private harpoon crew, smuggled aboard in defiance of Bildad and Peleg. Ahab hopes that their skills and Fedallah’s prophetic abilities will help him in his hunt for Moby Dick.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Pequod rounds Africa and enters the Indian Ocean. A few whales are successfully caught and processed for their oil. From time to time, the ship encounters other whaling vessels. Ahab always demands information about Moby Dick from their captains. One of the ships, the Jeroboam, carries Gabriel, a crazed prophet who predicts doom for anyone who threatens Moby Dick.

Pride and Prejudice :: English Literature

Pride and Prejudice One of the first Novels written in English, Jane's Austen's Pride and Prejudice which has been around for about 200 years. Published in 1813 during a time when England were at war with France. Pride and Prejudice offers a story in which the upper-middle class society are the setting for the relationship of Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy. In a time when Women's main aim is to find a husband against financial snobbery and class prejudice, Austen's Novel celebrates the love over class prejudice and financial snobbery. This novel was set in 1797-1815 in Longbourn, rural England. The novel is told from Elizabeth Bennet's point of view. At the time it was written, women had to get married before twenty six otherwise they would have no where to live or have to live with a relative, and not be important in the house, or asked any questions. So women had to go around trying to catch young men's attention before they got too old, this is shown in Charlotte Lucas who marries Mr. Collins who is a fool, she married for a home later on in life which overrules all over considerations. This shows how much pressure was on women to marry so they could be secure later on in life. A young gentleman called Charles Bingley has rented the manor of Netherfield Park. This gets the Bennet's girls excited who have five unmarried daughters - Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty and Lydia. Mrs. Bennet is desperate to get them all married so she can live somewhere later on in life when Mr. Bennet dies. After Mr. Bennet goes to see Mr. Bingley, the Bennet's attend a ball at which Mr. Bingley is there. He is dancing with Jane and spends much of the evening dancing with her. His close friend, Mr. Darcy is less pleased with evening and proudly refuses to dance with Elizabeth. "Which do you mean?" and turning round, he looked for a moment at Elizabeth, till catching her eye, he withdrew his own and coldly said, "She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men. You had better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me." These words tell us that he is proud and doesn't think that the people at the ball are worthy enough to dance with him. The rudeness with which Darcy treats Elizabeth creates a bad impression of him in her mind. An impression which will remain for half of the novel, until the truth of Darcy and

Business Ethics VS. Military Ethics Essay -- essays research papers

Business Ethics versus Military Ethics June 18, 2005 Business Ethics versus Military Ethics â€Å"The ultimate basis for ethics is clear: Human behavior has consequences for the welfare of others. We are capable of acting toward others in such a way as to increase or decrease the quality of their lives. We are capable of helping or harming. What is more, we are theoretically capable of understanding when we are doing the one and when the other. This is so because we have the capacity to put ourselves imaginatively in the place of others and recognize how we would be affected if someone were to act toward us as we are acting toward others† (Elder & Paul, 2003). There are many types of ethics and many ways to incorporate practices to enforce ethics as well as punish violators of ethics requirements. Two categories of ethics that are similar yet different are ethics in Corporate America and ethics in the United States Air Force (U.S.A.F.). First, we need to understand what ethics are. Ethics contributes to the learning what is right or wrong. â€Å"Doing the right thing is not as straight forward as conveyed in a great deal of business ethics literature†(McNamara, C. 2003, 6). The definition between corporations and the military provides us with a general description of ethics. Are military and corporate ethics different? Business Ethics in Corporate America The Business ethics concept means many things to many different people. It is coming to know what is â€Å"right or wrong in the workplace and doing what is right -- this is in regard to effects of products/services and in relationships with stakeholders† (McNamara, C. 2003, 8 ). â€Å"According to Carter McNamara, business ethics is summarized into â€Å"Two Broad Areas of Business Ethics† defined as managerial mischief and moral mazes.† (McNamara, C. 2003, 10). The first discussion will be managerial mischief. â€Å"Madsen and Shafritz, in their book "Essentials of Business Ethics" (Penguin Books, 1990) further explain that "managerial mischief" includes "illegal, unethical, or questionable practices of individual managers or organizations as well as the causes of such behaviors and remedies to eradicate them" (McNamara, C. 2003,10). Business ethics is merely teaches the basics of what is wrong and right. Business ethics is a matter of dealing with situations that have no clear indication o... ...ed to maintain discipline and cohesiveness in an organization and generally documented to provide specific guidance. No matter what the root cause of Ethics in Business or the Military, most ethical conflicts came to dealing with contracts and agreements between themselves and their customers or their employees. Most people have come to the understanding that lower ethical standards related to lower moral standards in society, in general. From this, one can conclude that it is management that has the social responsibility to conduct his or her business in the most ethical ways possible, for his or her actions is reflexive on society. References McNamara, C. (2003). Complete Guide to Ethics Management: An Ethics Toolkit for Managers. Retrieved 15 June 2005 from www.mapnp.org/library/ethics/ethics.htm Paul, R. & Elder, L. (2003) The Miniature Guide to Understanding the Foundations of Ethical Reasoning, The Foundation for Critical Thinking. Dillon Beach, CA. Retrieved 06-18-2005, from UoPHX rEsource GEN/300 Toner, J. H., Military OR ethics, Air & Space Power Journal Vol. 17,Iss 2, Summer 20032003. Retrieved 06/15/2005 from UoPHX rEsource GEN/300

English Euphemism Essay

Euphemism, as a common linguistic phenomenon in world culture, is widely used in every social class and field. English euphemism, as one of many euphemisms existing in the world, has its own deep origin, which include both the religious origin and the historical, literary origin. This thesis will try to discuss the origin of English euphemism from every aspect of religion, race, politics, literary, and history. Language reflects life, and is always closely related to the society. During the communication, due to some certain restriction of behavior and morality, people tend to use euphemism-used as a kind of lubrication, making the harsh, indelicate words sound tactful and pleasant. English euphemism plays a very important role in people’s social communication. This paper will also expound the social communicative function of English euphemism from the three aspects: evasive function, polite function, and cosmetic function. Having a good understanding of the origin and social function of English euphemism and the English language Culture can avoid many conflicts in the process of social communication . [Key Words] origin; communicative function; evasion; cosmetic function; politeness [Abstract] euphemisms prevalent in the language of the world’s cultural phenomenon, it is widely used in all social strata and fields. Euphemism as a euphemism in one of the many, has its deep roots produced, in which packets of religion and politics, but also literature and history. This paper attempts to religion, race, politics, literature, history, in a bid to explore the emergence of English Euphemisms source. Language reflects life, and always closely linked with social, conversation in the language, due to a certain code of conduct and Ethics constraints, people often use the euphemism —- the ‘lubricant’, making harsh, non – polite euphemism becomes so pleasurable. It is in people’s social communication played an important role. This function of its taboo, courtesy functions and capabilities in three areas to cover up the English language Euphemism illustrates the social communicative functions. Euphemism by fully understanding the origins of English and its social communicative function, and further understand the English language and culture, in order to avoid social communication in the various conflicts. [Keywords:] origin;  communicative function; taboo; politeness; cover 1.Introduction Euphemism is a cultural phenomenon as well as a linguistic concept. Every language has its own euphemism, so does English. It is deeply rooted in social life and has a great influence on social communication. As an indispensable and natural pArt of English language, English euphemism has attracted people’s attention for a long time. Since Euphemism was coined, it has played a very important role in people’s communication. The communication without euphemism is unimaginable. Euphemism is used like lubrication, which makes the communication go on smoothly. This thesis will have an overview of the origin of English euphemism, and state its social communicative function. English euphemism as a linguistic concept, it has close relationships with the western culture, and it truly reflects the life and values of English people and their history. Euphemism is a particularly good medium for access to the force of language that has provided an effective approach to understanding the human mind. The study of English euphemism can help us understand the western Culture and promote the international Development because euphemism is widely used in international negotiations. So there is a great need for us to study English euphemism, including: its origin, its social function, etc. 2. The definitions of English euphemism Euphemism is a universal linguistic phenomenon. Nearly in every language, there are some disgusting words, which make people feel embarrassed. In the process of communication, the unsuitable or too direct words will make people feel uncomfortable, even angry. Then there is a great need for us to use a tactful way to express emotion, exchange ideas. That is to say, to use a pleasant, mild or indirect words or phrases take the place of tabooed words. It is known that euphemism is a form of language intentionally created in social relation to achieve ideal communication. Without them any language would seem to be vulgar and rude, void of politeness and vividness to some extent. As a common communication in the process of people using language, euphemism is an important way for people to coordinate the social relationships. Like a kind of lubrication, euphemism enables people to express what cannot be uttered directly and ensures communication to be  carried smoothly. It is a language Strategy in civilized society for avoiding taboo. It is unimaginable if the communication is without euphemism. The word ‘euphemism’ was derived from the Greek word ‘euphemismos’, which means ‘fair speech’. The prefix ‘eu’ means ‘good, sound well’ and ‘pheme’ means ‘saying’ or ‘speech’. And thus the literal meaning of ‘euphemism’ is ‘to speak with good words or in a pleasant manner’. That is to say, euphemism is used as an alternative to unpleasant expression, in order to avoid possible lose of face, either one’s own face or through going offense, that of the audience, or some of third of party. This unpleasant expression may be tabooed, fearsome, or for some other reasons that speakers can’t or intend not to use some certain expression directly on some occasion. ‘In Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language is’ the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought substituted ‘. Rawson Blunt, a British writer, defined euphemism as’ a good favorable interpretation of a bad word.†[1 ] ‘Encyclopedia Britannica (1994) also defines euphemism as’ a figure of speech in which something of an unpleasant, distressing or indelicate nature is described in less offensive terms†[2] From the above mentioned, we could clearly see that euphemism is characterized by avoidance language and evasive expression. The speakers use words or expressions as a protective shield against the anger or disapproval of natural or supernatural things. It is one form of language and a linguistic phe nomenon 3.The origins of English euphemism 3.1 The religious origin of English euphemism The earliest English euphemisms come from ‘taboo’. The word ‘taboo’ comes from Togan, a kind of Polynesian. It indicates evasive language or action. [3] The emergence of English euphemism is to meet the need of avoiding taboos. In primitive society, people can’t explain such things as ailment and some supernatural phenomena. ‘People have confusion between the name of the things and things themselves. The name is viewed as an extension of things. Just as the idiom says’ Speak of devil and he appears ‘. Naturally the words or phrases related to such things become taboos.’ [4] In the ancient times, people had blind faith in ghosts and Gods they respected. They whispered and even feared them so they did not dare to address their  names directly. They think it profane to name God. Therefore the names of gods become the earliest taboos. To speak name of gods was to evoke the divinity whose power then had to be confronted. Such dangerous practices were reserved for priests skilled in negotiating with the supernatural. So the usual way to avoid is to employ euphemisms. Therefore, for the religious need, a lot of euphemisms about religion emerged. For example, in order not to desecrate God, people in English-speaking country always use some other name for God instead of calling directly, such as ‘Adonai, the Almighty, Caesar’s Cruth, the Creater, Dod, Gad, Land, Lawks, Lawd.’ [5] The opposite side of god is devil, which is more terrible for people. When people refer to them, they tend to use such euphemisms to replace: D, the Big D, the Evil one, the Black one, the Goodman, Jesse, Old boy, Our father, Lord of lords, King of kings, the Light of the world, etc. [6] From the above mentioned, we can find that religion brings many euphemistic terms in the religious matter, especially the naming and addressing of God to the language. 3.2 The racial and national origins of English euphemism It is known to all, the phenomenon of racial discrimination is deeply rooted in America in which ‘equal opportunity’ is flattered by American white people as an equal right enjoyed by everyone. Due to the pressure of social public opinion, although some whites discriminate the black from their heart, they will not expose this kind of prejudice in public. Meanwhile, few people dare to humiliate and persecute blacks publicly for no reason at all. In other words, the way of discrimination becomes tactful. There are many euphemisms emerging for this reason. In the 1930s, ‘nigger’ is still a neutral noun in England, and has no meaning of humiliating blacks. But since this word has the obvious meaning of discriminating the blacks, most of people in England and Americans use some other euphemistic words, such as ‘colored black’ instead. When talking about some other races, it does not often use the direct words that are related to color. People often use some euphemistic expression, such as the geographic name. 3.3 Historical, literary and Political origins of English euphemism From the time the Normans conquered England in 1066, English has emerged many euphemisms. At that time, the main reason to use euphemism is that the language used by the conquered is often disparaged, and is thought as gross language. The upper  class surely doesn ‘t want to lower their status to use such words. In order to avoid using such gross words, they tend to use’ the elegant words’, which originated from Latin. And these words were mixed into English gradually. There are also many euphemisms in literary works. For example, in Hamlet, Shakespeare use the expression ‘The undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveler returns’ (there has never been a mystery travelers to come back off the country) to express his great sympathy for Hamlet . [7] The famous American writer Mark Twain use ‘release’ to express ‘die’ in his work The Adventure of Tom Sawyer. Besides, politics is a fertile area for the appearance and growth of English euphemism, which is cosmetic in expression but deceptive in nature. Euphemisms of this kind are always consciously and deliberately. The cosmetic euphemism can be easily found in American English. Government’s discussion of the Vietnam War was saturated with euphemisms. Villages burned and inhabitants imprisoned were ‘Pacifications’; the war itself was not a war but a ‘conflict’, the ‘bombing’ becomes ‘logistical strike’ or ‘close air support’, and ‘killing’ becomes ‘wasting the enemy’. These euphemisms are used to deceive and to hide the dirty business of war . [8] The use of such Political euphemisms helps government to beautify the action and prevent people from taking any anti-government action. So in order to satisfy the Political needs, many euphemisms come to exist. 4.The social communicative function of English euphemism From the perspective of language communication, euphemism functions to avoid taboos, to show politeness and conceal feelings. Thanks to euphemism, it is easy for people to accept the things that are likely to make others feel embarrassed or unhappy. It is people’s general character to express their ideas as mildly and tactfully as possible. Euphemism helps people to reach this goal. From the moment euphemism came into existence, it has played a very important role in our daily communication, and help establish a good relationship between human beings and even strengthen the social stability. Euphemism are motivated by the desire not to be offensive. People use them to show their politeness, to avoid being offensive and to meet the psychological and beneficial needs of both speakers and hearers in communication. But sometimes they are used to conceal or cover something. Accordingly, euphemism serves three basic communicative functions: evasive  function, polite function and cosmetic function. 4.1 The evasive function of English euphemism The evasive function of euphemism is to evade using taboos, enabling the speaker to talk about tabooed things freely. These tabooed things are believed to be dangerous to certain individuals, or to the society as a whole, or to be disgusting and unpleasant, and cause fear. Such tabooed things include: disease, disabilities, death, sex, body excretion and body elimination process, etc. People can use euphemisms to talk about what cannot be talked directly. Reposted elsewhere in the paper for free download 4.1.1 In terms of disease and disabilities People yearn for health, and fear for specific disease and every sort of disability. So people always use tactful way to express them. For example, sexual or venereal disease such as syphilis, gonorrhoea, ADIS, etc. Are called ‘social disease’, ‘communicative disease’, etc. in English. Besides, disabilities are very sensitive area in every culture. In English, ‘the disabled, the handicapped, the inconvenienced, the invalid, auditory impaired, hard of hearing, talk with one’s fingers’, etc. are put into service. [9] So euphemism plays a very important function in our social communication. Without it, we sometimes cannot continue our talk. 4.1.2 In terms of death Death is an inevitable stage at the end of life’s journey. It is common Experience of human beings. Yet it has been the source of fear-fear of the loss of loved ones; fear of the end of one’s life; fear of the actual process of dying. Therefore, all these fears, worries, and unpleasant feelings combined lead to verbal taboo of death. Euphemisms concerning death are extremely rich. In English, there are more than seventy euphemisms for ‘death’, including ‘to be gone, to be gone to a better world, to be with God, to breath one’s last, to close one’s day, to depArt from the world forever, to depArt to God, to fall asleep, join the great majority, pass away, etc. [10 ] No matter why this word is used in a certain language, people always tend to use less harsh words 4.1.3 In terms of sex, body  excretion and body elimination process Words relating to sex, procreation and excretion are highly restricted to mention because they may evoke disgusting responses of people. Verbal taboo on them is probably motivated by the intuitive disaster, shame. People all have certain feelings of which they are so ashamed that they don ‘t like to admit even to themselves. In people’s daily life or in some formal occasion, if the talk or discussion refers to something about drainage, people will try to avoid using vulgar language. They tend to use some implied or neutral words to make conversation comfortable. For ordinary people, the safest way to avoid mentioning these things that they have to mention in many circumstances is to use another expression-euphemism to replace the true name of such a thing. For example, in English there are many elegant expressions for ‘going to WC’, such as: to wash one’s hand, to spend a penny, to go and see one’s aunt, to answer the call of nature, because nature calls, etc. [11] ‘The topic concerning being pregnant is touchy because it tends to arouse the association with sexual behaviors.’ To beat round bushes’ is very necessary, such as’ with child ‘,’ anticipating ‘,’ excepting ‘for’ pregnant ‘, etc. [12] Talking about sexual intercourse is taboo. Expressions relating to sex have heavily been veiled for the purpose of avoiding awkwardness and offense. So people use euphemistic words to talk about it. For example, people evade saying ‘hip’ directly which is replaced with ‘buttock’, ‘bottom’, ‘one’s thing’, and ‘secret parts’ donates sex organs of both males and females. 4.1.4 In terms of old age English and Chinese have different feelings about ‘old age’. A Chinese is proud of being old, whereas a westerner will feel irritated and even insulted at mentioning his oldness. In English culture, people do not describe others as or to be described as’ old ‘because the old, who no longer work, are ignored by society. Therefore, people create’ the second childhood golden years, senior citizen, gray hair, mature golden age ‘when they refer to’ old age ‘in which it attempts to conceal the fact of becoming old and avoid arousing old people’s sad feeling of aging. [14] 4.2 The polite function of English euphemism. Politeness is another important function that euphemisms serve in the social  life. Politeness is the symbol of human’s civilization and one of the important principles guiding people’s activities. As a kind of significant social activity, language activity must observe this principle, too. When we have to talk something unpleasant, we should choose euphemistic way to express in order not to hurt others. Being polite is a reasonable action that anyone who is keen on face-saving will take. The polite function of euphemism is tried to avoid being harsh or impolite in the communication. In other words, euphemisms are to minimize impolite expressions and maximize polite expressions. For instance, when a teacher comments on a student’s moral conducts and school work in front of the student or his or her parent, he or she should report the fact on one hand, and on the other hand should take into consideration the student’s psychological endurance and the paren t’s face. So the euphemistic way to express might be ‘The student is a bit slow for his or her age’ instead of ‘The student is stupid ‘. [15] The polite function of English euphemism is embodied in every occupational language. Occupational discrimination gives people pressure and emotional irritation. Although euphemisms cannot uproot this kind of phenomenon, at least, they can give them some psychological comfort by upgrading of career name. Therefore, ‘ engineer, manager, etc. ‘have become more and more fashionable.’ Dustman ‘is changed to’ sanitary engineer ‘;’ mechanic ‘to’ automobile engineer ‘,’ gardener ‘to’ landscape architect ‘,’ shoemaker ‘to’ shoe rebuilder ‘[16] In English, there are many adjectives about people’s appearance, such as’ good looking, handsome, pretty, charming, attractive’, etc. They are all commendatory words. When talking about someone who is not pretty, we cannot use ‘ugly’ or ‘awfully’. We had better use some euphemisms such as ‘plain, ordinary, not particularly looking’, etc. instead of them. So euphemism’s polite function can save people’s face in their process of communication. It is so important that we cannot neglect it. 4.3 The cosmetic function of English euphemism Besides the evasive and polite function, euphemism has the cosmetic function. This kind of euphemism is usually used in the government, military, politics and commerce. It refers to using good words to beautify things, which are not beautiful in reality and make the thing be more persuaded and acceptable. Because euphemism has the nature of vagueness, to some extent,  it is deceptive. Traditionally speaking, euphemism plays a positive role in social life. Using it, people can avoid some embarrassed and ungracious occasion. But just as every coin has two sides, euphemism has no exception. Using it suitably can coordinate social relationships, but abusing it will mislead the public, will cover up the essence of things. For example, in modern Western society, the poor is called as’ the needy ‘, later it was changed to’ the culturally deprived ‘, then to’ the underprivileged ‘, at last to’ the disadvantaged ‘. So it will confuse peopl e that this country is so rich that there is no poor people at all. Firstly, the government and the military often use them to disguise the reality from truth. They describe ‘Economic crisis’ as ‘recession’ or ‘depression’; ‘attack’ as ‘active defense’. [17] At the beginning of 20th century , the relationship between labor and capital become strained, and the agitation of striking became a serious social problem. In order to hide the fact, politicians call the strained labor-capital relationship as ‘industrial climate’, striking as ‘industrial action’. If the negotiation between labor and capital is successful, it will be claimed as ‘productive’, on the contrary, it is ‘counter-productive’. [18] Secondly, this kind of euphemism is widely used in commerce. It is often used to play tricks and to deceive the customers. The commercial exaggerates the product’s function and quality. In the same way, the English euphemism is also used to make customers feel pleased . For example, in order to meet the passengers’ sense of dignity, some Airlines call First Class Deluxe Class or Premium Class; Second Class First Class; and Third Class become Business Class, Economic Class, or Tourist Class. Doing like these, it seems that all passengers’ position are promoted. Their purpose is to attract more passengers and gain more profits by using euphemisms in the communication, meanwhile, the customers feel more decent, and it helps customers save face. In short, euphemism of this kind may make an idea more palatable, but they inflate language, reduce precision and often tamper with truth. Some people condemn euphemism as demoralizing because of its hypocrisy, which other consider them useful in the aspect of coordinating social relationships . However, the fact remains that euphemisms are very much a part of the language, and what’s more important for us is not to debate their merits or demerits, but rather to be able to realize that English euphemism can serve for the special social activities  under certain circumstance. 5. Conclusion English euphemism as an essential part of English language, is observed everywhere and widely used in people’s daily communication. On the issue of the origin and social communicative function of English euphemism, this thesis has a tentative exploration. But this kind of exploration is in a state of Development because euphemism is developed all the time. Euphemism roots in every aspect of social life, and is developed with the advancement of society. English euphemism is a mirror of Western Culture in the form of English language. From the moment it was born, it has distinct culture color. Euphemism undoubtedly reflects the inner relationship among the cultural tradition, social values and the form of language. In speech interaction, sometimes, out of politeness or tact, one uses a pleasant, less direct word instead of something unpleasant. Using euphemism is speaker’s active pragmatic Strategy in a certain time and a certain situation. English euphemism promotes the Development of English language, and enriches the vocabularies of English language, giving people a feeling of warm and fresh. In the 21st century, with the development of science and technology, many social problems rise, too. People crave for the gentle, warm and easy understood words. Euphemism emerges ceaselessly just right for meeting this psychological need. As a common communication medium and a rhetoric method, English euphemism will be used wider and wider. Some scholars hold the opinion that it is unreasonable to use euphemism because they have the nature of deceit, especially in politics and government. But we cannot deny the fact that euphemism is very helpful in the process of human communication. Twenty-first century is a period when people of different culture have even more touches with each other. So it is vital for us to have a good understanding of English euphemism. It is unimaginable if the diplomatic negotiation is without euphemism. Using euphemism is a kind of language skill that each of us should master. Bibliography [1] Li Qing. A Tentative Study of English Euphemism-From Pragmatic Perspective. Shandong Normal University, a master’s degree thesis in English Language and Literature. 2003 2.24 P2 [2] Wu Chang-Qi An Analysis of Diplomatic Euphemism from the Perspectives of Cooperative Principles and Politeness Principle. Chongqing University of Foreign Linguistics and Applied Linguistics Master’s degree thesis. 2004.5 P7 [3] Hanyin Yan, Liu Lei. Euphemisms from the psychological view of social communicative function [J]. Science, Shenyang Normal University (Social Science Edition). 2005.3 P146 [4] the same [1] P4 [5] Xiang-Yun Wu. Euphemism social function [J]. Zhaotong Teacher’s College. 2004.2 P30 [6] the same [5] P30 [7] Mao new cultivation. On the basis of English Euphemisms generation [J]. Yunmeng Journal. 2004.3 P3 [8] Sheng-Juan. On the cover of Euphemism function [J]. Hunan Agricultural University (Social Science Edition). 2004.12 P94 [9] HU Chun-mei. On the composition and function of Euphemism [J]. Zhejiang Education College. 2005.1P32 [10] Kong a peak, Wang Yanjun. Euphemism of the communicative functions of English and its applications [J]. Shanxi Journal of Radio and Television University. 2004.P59 [11] the same [10] P59 [12] Bi Xiuying A Study on English Euphemism. Zhengzhou University Foreign Language and Literature master’s degree thesis 2003.11 P34 [13] Fan groups A Study of Culture Connotation of English Euphemism, Hunan Normal University, a master’s degree in English Language and Literature Papers 2005.5 P43 [14] Ya-Ping Wang, Wan Xueqin. Interpretation of the communicative functions of English Euphemisms [J]. Jiangxi education. 2004.6 P37 [15] Muge force. On the very structure of English euphemism [J]. Gansu Science and Technology vertical and horizontal. 2005.2 P133 [16] Tao Qin 3. Discussion on the origin of English Euphemisms and social function [J]. A Journal of Nanjing health. 2003.1 P157 [17] Wang Ping. The Communicative Functions of English Euphemism and its tectonic approach Exploration [J]. Fuqing Branch of Fujian Normal University Journal of .2004.4 P62 [18] the same [10] P59