Taboo and Euphemism.ppt

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1、 Taboo and Euphemism Eliza&Nancy Apr.28Funny Euphemisms in Daily LifeLiterally:the appearance of a man does not fit in with the Chinese policy:“Scientific Outlook on Development”(harmony).Implication:The man they mentioned is ugly.Funny Euphemisms in Daily LifeEdison Chan is the protagonist of a sex

2、y photo scandal.Here his name is a fashionable Euphemism for pornographic photos.The Definition of EuphemismEuphemisms are mild,agreeable,or roundabout words used in place of coarse,painful,or offensive ones.Euphemisms are powerful linguistic devices which“are embedded so deeply in our language that

3、 few of us,even those who pride themselves on being plainspoken,never get through a day without using them”.(Huge Rawson)Euphemism and TabooA euphemism and its corresponding taboo are the two sides of a coin.Different social taboos result in different euphemisms.There are five kinds of taboos that d

4、eeply influence the use of euphemisms.Religion View of Life and Death Gender and Sex Race PoliticsTaboo of Religion and EuphemismPersephone(the Queen of the Underworld):“the Maiden”or“wife of Pluto”Hecate(goddess of sorcery and the Queen of Ghosts):“tender-hearted”Jesus Christ:Adonai,the Almighty,th

5、e Creatorthe Devil:the Big D,the evil one,the black one.Taboo of Death and EuphemismWestern culture:British epic Beowulf:die journey elsewhere Shakespeares Hamlet:death shuffle off the mortal coilChinese culture:Taoism:riding a crane to the West Buddhism:nirvanaTaboo and Euphemism in inter-cultural

6、communicationviolation of taboosDont do it!一次，恰逢旅游旺季，一次，恰逢旅游旺季，XXXX旅行社接待一旅行社接待一个泰国团，导游服务热情周到，在带团个泰国团，导游服务热情周到，在带团初期一切状况良好，但后来却发生了一初期一切状况良好，但后来却发生了一件不愉快的事而招致客人投诉。原因是件不愉快的事而招致客人投诉。原因是团内有一对年轻夫妇的小孩长得十分可团内有一对年轻夫妇的小孩长得十分可爱，导游忍不住在男孩的头上摸了一下，爱，导游忍不住在男孩的头上摸了一下，这种在中国看来最平常不过的举动，却这种在中国看来最平常不过的举动，却触犯了泰国人触犯了泰国人“重头

7、轻脚重头轻脚”的禁忌，男的禁忌，男孩的父母当即脸就沉下来，只是没有当孩的父母当即脸就沉下来，只是没有当场发作，但导游却不懂得察言观色，后场发作，但导游却不懂得察言观色，后来又忍不住摸了一下小孩的头，这下男来又忍不住摸了一下小孩的头，这下男孩的父母再也控制不住当场与导游吵了孩的父母再也控制不住当场与导游吵了起来，导致最后的投诉。起来，导致最后的投诉。object taboos(taboos on things,institutions,and persons)action taboos,communication taboos(taboo themes)word taboos(vocabular

8、y taboos)picture taboos,which are in turn supported by thought taboos and emotion taboos.Similarities and DifferencesSimilar taboos:1.taboos on the names of gods;2.death and illness;3.taboos on body parts as buttocks，breast and sex organs as well as excretion actions,menstruation,pregnancy and the r

9、elated terms.Dont speak about it that way!-godChineseEnglish“Jeeze”,“Jeepers Creepers”,or“Gee”“Jesus”,“Jesus Christ”or“Christ”,“goodness”“God”“My Gum”“My GodDeathChinese“百年后百年后”“长眠长眠”,“安息安息”,“上天国上天国/升天堂升天堂”,“去见老祖宗去见老祖宗”,“作古作古”“去世去世”，“长眠长眠”，“安安息息”，“没了没了”，“作古作古”，“谢世谢世”,“与世长辞与世长辞”，“去见马克思去见马克思”“死死”（died

10、ie）English pass away,pass out,pass over,pass on,go to sleep,depart,depart from the world forever,decease,rest in peace,be at rest,breathe ones last,go the way of all flesh,pay ones debt to nature,go to a better world,be in heaven,be with God,etc.IllnessChinese 铁拐李铁拐李/腿脚不方便，腿脚不方便，耳朵背耳朵背/耳朵有点不好使，耳朵有点不

11、好使，眼睛不太好眼睛不太好English“the mobilityimpaired,the hearingimpaired/hard of hearing,visually impaired,partiallysighted/people with low vision”etcExcretion actionsChinese “出恭出恭”“更衣更衣”“起夜起夜”“解手解手”“去去就来去去就来”,“方便方便方便方便”,“有事有事”,“去洗手去洗手”“去打个电话去打个电话”English go to the mens/ladies room,go to the rest room,to wash

12、ones hands,to relieve oneself,or to see a man about a horse,or because nature calls;if a woman feels the call of nature,she can just say,“where can I powder my nose?”or“Where to freshen up?”SexChinese“房事房事”,“过夫妻生活过夫妻生活”,“同房同房”,“圆房圆房”,“行房行房”,“做爱做爱”,“云雨云雨”,“发生关系发生关系”English “have an affair with”,“go t

13、o bed with”,“be in bed”,“do it”,“make love”,“lie with”,“make itDifferencesPrivacyOld ageDifferent taboos resulting in different euphemismsA mans home is his castle In China:natural to ask exchange daily greetings by asking personal matters;In western countries:questions related to ones age,weight,in

14、come,religion,marriage are taboos “what have you eaten in the dinner”How are you!How are you!H Hello!ello!H Hi!i!“you are getting fat”“round”,“plump”,“stout”,“wellfed”,“full”,“round”,“plump”,“stout”,“wellfed”,“full”,“full bodied”,“kingsized”“full bodied”,“kingsized”Old age is valued in China but tab

15、ooed in the western nations.China:“老师傅”,“老板”,“老总”,“金秋年华”,“古稀之年”“老成持重”,“老当益壮”,“老骥伏枥”,“老马识途”,“老谋深算”,“姜还是老的辣”“seasoned”(老练的),“well preserved”(保养非常好的),etc.The aged become“senior citizens”(已属退休年龄的公民),who are enjoying their“golden years”(黄金年华).“sunset years”(晚年)and“twilight years”（迟暮之年）1 Touching Someone

16、Where Its Offensive:Korea,Thailand,China,Europe,the Middle East.2 Blowing Your Nose Where Its Offensive:Japan,China,Saudi Arabia,France.3 Talking Over Dinner Where Its Offensive:Africa,Japan,Thailand,China,Finland.4 Removing Your Shoesor NotWhere Its Offensive:Hawaii,the South Pacific,Korea,China,Th

17、ailand.5 Knowing Your Right from Your Left Where Its Offensive:India,Morocco,Africa,the Middle East.To conclude一个唱白脸一个唱黑脸一个唱白脸一个唱黑脸Taboo-serves as a norm in language communication about things that should not be said(bad-cop)Euphemism-about way of saying certain things（good-cop）Functions stability of societies and groups Intercultural communicationTranslation and interpreting