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al euphemisms.”[6] 2.5 Diversity of lingual region Someone thinks that only upper and middle class use euphemism. But this conclusion is too absolute. We can analyze this in three aspects. 2.5.1 Differences of gender or age “A study shows that female use more euphemisms than male do. There is a saying in English: ‘horse sweat; men perspire; young ladies glow.’ (Brock, 1973:73) Women use obscure word to express the action of sweat. And the difference of gender and age usually influence the choice of the synonyms of euphemism. For instance, there are a variety of expressions about ‘go to toilet’. Men use the expression ‘to shoot a lion’. Adults may say ‘to go to w.c.’. And children say ‘to go to the pot’.”[7] 2.5.2 Difference of profession or identity Euphemism changes while the profession and identity change. This is a synchrony variation. The word “die” can be used in many different ways. “In military, people use the expression ‘to lose number of one’s mess’. This expression orients from the mess system of UK navy. However, in the press, people often use the word ‘thirty’ because they usually mark ‘30’ in the end of a news article, which means ending.”[8] 2.5.3 Difference of style or context Stylistically, the word “die” has hundreds of euphemisms. But in daily communication, people may use “to be gone” or “to be no more”. In obituary, people use “to pass away” or “to depart”. It also has some witty expressions, for instance, “to pop off” or “to kick the bucket”. Euphemism is restricted by the context. For example, “On the 14th of March, at a quarter to three in the afternoon, the greatest living thinker ceased to think. (F. Engels, Speech at the Graveside of Karl Marx)” [9] This example involves the passing away of a great man. And the phrase “ceased to think” echoes “thinker”. This euphemism produces a good effect. 3. Pragmatic functions of euphemism 3.1 Taboo function “Taboo is the main psychological basis of the emergence of euphemism. Euphemism is the avoidance of the unpleasant, inelegant things. A famous sociolinguist Mr. Chen Yuan once said: ‘Generally speaking, the coming into being of euphemism all begins from taboo.’ From the origin of euphemism, we can see that taboo is the first function of euphemism. Euphemism has been using for a long time, and it is closely related to taboo. In fact, euphemism dates back to the language taboo in the early period of human civilization. When people try to avoid and give up taboo words, they have to find another word to replace this vacancy at the same time. Hence, people created euphemism.” [10] There are some taboo things, such as birth, death, funeral, sex, nakedness, defecation, and urinate. If they are expressed directly, they are called taboo words and the feelings they give us are vulgar, crude and harsh, whereas if they are expressed indirectly, they are called euphemism, and the impressions they made on us are elegant, implicit and polite. The evading function of euphemism also works today. Some taboo notions cannot be easily removed from people’s mind. Though science and technology are highly developed today, the word “death” is the taboo words to all nations. Thus there are a lot of euphemisms related with it. “Such as pass away, answer the final call, be asleep in Jesus, be safe in the arms of Jesus, be at rest, be called to God, be home and free, be in Abraham’s bosom, cross the River Jordan, final sleep, go home, go to meet one’s maker, go to one’s own place,