Because primitive man had no idea about signifier and signified, they dared not say some words or expressions under taboo, which were expressed in a roundabout way.

• 原始思维把语言符号的能指和所指等同起来，由此产生了对某些语言符号的禁忌，只好用一些委婉的说法替代被禁忌的语言符号，这就是传统委婉语的成因。