On Verbal Taboo in Cross-cultural Communication

Abstract： As one of the commonest cultural phenomena in human society, taboo exists in every nook and cranny in cross-cultural communication and has a strong restrictive force in people’s real life. Do in Rome do as the Romans do, is important prerequisite which should not be neglected in cross-cultural communication.

Based on the research on the origins of English and Chinese taboo, this thesis expounds the factors influencing the formation, the development and the similarities and dissimulations between English and Chinese taboos from the linguistic and pragmatic aspects. The significance of the analysis on verbal taboo lies in the promotion of the better understanding of verbal taboo to avoid the would-be troubles and misunderstandings and to seek common point while reserving differences in cross-cultural communication. The key point in the research is the analysis on its consanguineous connection with the cross-cultural communication.

Key words: verbal taboo; origin; factors of formation; development; contrast

1.0 Introduction

In given culture, people involved in the communication process often get around some topics or some words in language system. Taboo is one of the unique and the most common cultural phenomena of human society. Taboo exists in any place and at any time in cross-cultural communication. If one offends against a particular custom by using taboo words from time to time, he or she will be excluded from the community. However, taboos of different nations are not unanimous; sometimes they are as different as heaven and the bottom of the sea. So it is of great significance for foreign language learning to know about them in cross-cultural communication.

Generally speaking, taboo is something that is forbidden. Taboo can be divided into behavioral taboo and verbal taboo. Verbal taboo exists in various kinds of culture. It is possibly born with the language. It is also an indispensable part in language teaching, for without it, we could not understand the real essence of a language. Therefore, this thesis aims to analyze the formation and the development of verbal taboo, being one of the unique and the most common culture phenomena of human society, the categories it liuhas been divided into, the significantly important role it plays in cross-cultural communication, the similar and different point of views between the Chinese culture and the Occidentalism concerning verbal taboo.

2.0 Verbal taboo

2.1 The origin of verbal taboo