《英美文化概况》unit 10

1、Unit 10EuphemismNeil Postman Teaching Objectives: To make the Students know the language of the text.To make the students know the content of the text.To make the students know how to paraphrase some difficult sentences of the text.To make the students know how to use the difficult terms and phrases

2、 in the text properly.To let the students have a discussion on what the text is about.To give the answers of the ex. on the workbook.To give the students home assignment on writing a short passage on what they think about the views of the author.To remind the students of rhetoric knowledge and struc

3、ture of the text.Teaching Procedures:Session OneTEXT IEuphemismNeil PostmanI. 1. Dictionary definition of euphemismthe substitution of a mild，indirect，or vague expression for one thought to be offensively harsh or, blunt2. Examples of euphemism in Chinese 逝世、作古、牺牲、与世长辞 (死亡) 身体发福 (胖) 赋闲 (失业) 拮据 (贫困).

4、 New vocabularyauspicious: a. favorable 幸运的，吉利的， 顺利的，繁荣昌盛的，exalted: a. dignified，elevated 高贵的，崇高的，兴奋的phony: a. deceitful；fraudulent 伪造的， 假的expunge: v. wipe out；erase 除去，删掉amiss: a. improper；wrong；faulty 错误的，不适当的，semantics: n. study of meaning 语义学in the same vein: in the same manner 以同样的方式warrant: v.

5、 be worthy of 证明。， 保证incongruous: a. inappropriate；out of place 不适合的，不一致的，不正确的categorically: ad. absolutely; unconditionally 绝对地，明确地. Relevant Information1Euphemism：A figure of speech in which indirectness replaces directness of statement，usually in an effort to avoid offensive bluntness in some sub

6、ject involving delicacy or taboo To say“at libertyinstead of“out of work”“senior citizens”instead of“old people”“in the family wayinstead of“pregnant”“anti Semite”instead of“Jewhater”-and“pass awayinstead of“die”is to practice euphemism of one sort or anotherIt is possible for euphemism to signal fa

7、lse delicacy，insincerity，sentimentality，or excessive modesty；euphemism may also mean a decent respect for the feeling of othersThere can also be a measure of irony in euphemism，as when a novel about desertion in wartime is called A Farewell to Arms(1929)(From：CHugh Holman and William Harmon，edsA Han

8、dbook to Literature5th edNYMacmillan，1 980Based on the original edby William Flint Thrall and Addison Hibbard)2 Euphemism：A pleasant way of referring to something unpleasantThus burier became undertaker，then mortician；when opium became too odious，morphine (“dream bringer”)came into use；later heroin

9、was coined as more attractive than diamorphine(“die omorphine” )EPartridge：Words，Words，Words，1933 (From：Joseph TShipleyDictionary of World Literary TermsRevand enlarged Boston：The Writer，Inc，1970)3 EuphemismThe use of an indirect mild，or vague word or expression for one thought to be coarse，offensiv

10、e or bluntEuphemism is from a Greek phrase meaning“the use of words of good repute or omen”In recent years，effective writers who mean“prisonare likely to say SO and not“correctional institution”If they mean“dead”they will not likely write“deceasedor“the late”Euphemisms are usually vague and wordy，as

11、 is evident in this comment by Elizabeth Barrett Browning on the insanity of a fellow poet：“Discord fell on the music of his soul；the sweet sounds and wandering lights departed from him”(From：Harry Shaw，Dictionary of Literary TermsNew York：McGrawHill，1972)IV 1. Organization and DevelopmentAThe main

12、idea of each paragraph： Para1 Euphemism has got a bad name because it is a way to gwe pretty names to essentially ugly realitiesPara2 What we call things affects how we will perceive themPara3 Euphemizing is a perfectly intelligent method of generating new and useful ways of perceiving thingsPara4 E

13、uphemizing is not a contemptible name makes US see something that process；it is contemptible only when a name makes us see something that is not or diverts our attention from something that isPara5 Euphemizing may be regarded as one of our more important intellectualresources for creating new perspe

14、ctives on a subjectBut such changes mustbe supported by some authentic tendency or drift in the culture.Para6 Nevertheless，the power of rames is not to be underestimatedPara7 A more elaborated definition of euphemism is that it is a means through which a culture may alter its imagery and by so doing

15、 subtly change its style，its priorities，and its valuesB. But there is another side to euphemizing ( Last sentence，para.1)To begin with(para2)NowBut(para3)The point I am making(para4)I grant that(para5)But(para6)The key idea here(para7)II. Analysis1The first sentence of para3：Use of the word scoundre

16、l and use of an example we are familiar witha time when someone has“sold US a bill of goods”that was worthless，time when someone“took us in with flowery words一creates immediate empathy and understanding in the reader2Opening words of para4：Postman calls the readerS attention to“the point I am making

17、”3The first scntcnce of para6：Postman is doing fine discrimination with these wordsHe is saying，“If A is true，and B is the other side of the view，and here is evidence that C occurs，I now want you tO distinguish between my finely tuned thoughts”4Opening words of para7：Again Postman calls the readers

18、attention to the words that tell US he iS going to sum up what he thinksSession TwoI. Teaching points1auspiciousfavourable；promising；showing signs of future successExample：He thought it was an auspicious beginning for his English studies when he received a high score in English in the college entran

19、ce examination.2exaltedelevated；dignified；honourableExample：He reached this exalted rank not by sheer luck but by hard workExalted often means“in a state of extreme happiness”Example：We all felt exalted on hearing that our university team had won first place in the national chess tournament3downtoea

20、rthpractical and realisticExample：The new group leaders warm，downtoearth manner set everyone at ease4partialshowing special favour to one side，person，etc，especially in an unfair wayExample：A good judge should not be partial to either side of the competition.5detestabledeserving intense dislike；disgu

21、sting，offensive，loathsomeExample：Liars are most detestable6Conduct (v)一organize and carry outOne may conduct an experiment，a survey，an inquiry，a business，etcconduct(n)一behaviourExampleWe must observe the code of conduct for university students7Derceivehave knowledge of something through one of the s

22、enses (espthe sight) orthrough the mind；understand；be aware ofExamples：The word irony has various meaningsIt all depends on how you percetve it.We percei ved a little uneasiness in her voice8. identify names with thingsmake names and things as one；equate names with things identify (someone or something)withequate (someone or something) withExample：Some people identify success with wealth，others with what one achieves9generatecause(something)to existExample：Different outlooks on life generate conflicts of various kinds10Divertfrom一turn