Eufemism as Representation of the Concept of “Harmony” in Japanese Society

Euphemism (enkyoukuhyougen) is one of the cultural characteristics of Japanese language. Its use is closely related to the concept of harmony (wa). Japanese people often use euphemisms when they want to say something that they feel could cause discomfort to other people. Through the use of euphemisms, conflict between individuals can be avoided. Apart from that, its use can also build smooth interpersonal relationships. This research aim to explain the use of euphemisms in electronic mail (E-mail) as a linguistic culture representing the concept of harmony in Japanese society. The data forms are clauses and expressions that contain euphemisms with illocutions: request, decline, inviting. This research is a qualitative descriptive research. Data was collected using library techniques and note-taking, while data analysis was conducted interactively.  Based on the analysis, it is known that the characteristics of euphemisms in utterances containing the above illocutions are mostly indirect expressions accompanied by direct sentences that lead to the core of the intended problem in accordance with the TPO (time, place, occasion).