Abstract: Nowadays, the mutual communication between Chinese people and English people has become more and more frequent. It is important for both peoples to know not only what utterance is preferred but also what utterance is forbidden in cross-cultural communication. Taboo is a common linguistic phenomenon both in Chinese and English. This essay introduces the source of taboo, the definition of taboo, and then compares the difference and similarities of language taboo between English and Chinese from the perspectives of cultural differences. The main purpose is to help people have a better understanding of linguistic taboo and develop a clearer awareness of avoiding taboo words in communication, thus enhancing their cross-cultural communicative competence.
Key Words: taboo; definition; similarity; difference
CONTENTS
Introduction 1
1. Definition of Taboo 1
1.1 Definition of Taboo 1
1.2 Differences between Taboo and Euphemism 2
2. Similar taboos in English and Chinese 3
2.1 Religion and God 3
2.2 Sex 4
2.3 Secretions and Excretions 5
2.4 Disease and Death 6
2.5 Social Status 8
2.6 Privacy on Income and Weight 9
3. Different taboos in English and Chinese 10
3.1 Political Opinion 10
3.2 Privacy on Age and Marriage 11
3.3 Names 11
4. Conclusion 13
Bibliography 15
