A Comparative Analysis of Euphemistic Expressions in Korean and English

This study investigates euphemistic expressions in English and Korean together with blessings and wishes in Karakalpak and Korean linguistic traditions, focusing on how language is used to manage sensitivity and express cultural values. It argues that euphemisms function as strategies for mitigating socially delicate meanings, while blessings and wishes serve to reinforce positive interpersonal relations and collective ideals. Despite their different communicative purposes, both rely on indirectness, politeness, and culturally shaped norms of appropriateness. Drawing on perspectives from pragmatics, cognitive linguistics, ethnolinguistics, and speech act theory, the study demonstrates that English primarily employs lexical substitution and metaphorical softening, whereas Korean encodes indirectness more systematically through honorifics and grammatical structures influenced by social hierarchy. By incorporating Karakalpak material, the paper also highlights how blessings reflect shared values such as family unity, continuity, and well-being. Overall, the analysis reveals both universal communicative tendencies and culturally specific patterns, contributing to a deeper understanding of language as a socially embedded and culturally meaningful system.

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