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摘 要：语言禁忌就是社会禁忌在语言中的反映。研究英汉禁忌语的目的在于帮助谈话者在跨文化交际中进行有效交流，避免误解于冒犯。本文从跨文化交际的角度，介绍了中英文禁忌语各自的四个主要方面及相关因素，并在此基础上对二者的相同点及不同点做出对比，使读者对中英禁忌语有更深刻系统的了解。最后提出端正的态度和对应的策略，使读者在跨文化交际中能够中知己知彼，求同存异，有效沟通。
关键词：禁忌语; 跨文化交际; 文化; 相关因素
A Comparative Study of Chinese and English Taboos
1. Difference between English and Chinese Taboos
1.1 Taboos in Number
Belief provides the motivations and the reason for doing things. To some extent, taboo topics have a tight association with Christianity. The number 13 is not considered as a propitious one in English-speaking societies, for it was recorded in Bible that Jesus was killed by a disciple named Judas who was the 13th man attending the dinner that held by Jesus on Friday. Thus, the number 13 and the day of Friday were taboos, which gradually were inherited from generation to generation.
In Chinese culture, there are also taboo numbers such as 4, 73, 84. in Chinese, the number 4(si) has a same pronunciation with the word death(si), accordingly, we usually think the number 4 is unlucky and should be avoided, which customs are reflected in the Chinese language use.
1.2Taboos in Privacy Regarding Age, Weight, Income and so on.
As is known to all, the westerners place a high value on privacy. They are self-centered and hold the views that their individual interests can't be invaded at any time. The questions related to one's age, weight, income, marriage will never be asked; otherwise they will entice more prejudice, and offence. Yet, it is not the case in China. In fact, there is no equivalent term for "privacy" in Chinese. The spirit of collectivism is treasured by Chinese people from one generation to another. On the other hand, Chinese people enjoy living together with their family members because it is a way to show harmony in the Chinese view of thinking. It is not strange for us to find that even people from different families share a big courtyard in China. Further, people in China don't favor changing their homes frequently from one place to another. Consequently, the Chinese family members always live in one place through the whole life and they are ought to be very family with people who share the courtyard with them. We have a saying to the effect that"远亲不如近邻"， which means when in trouble, the one who can help you is not the relatives who live far away from you, but your neighbors.
2. Similarities between English and Chinese Taboos
2.1 Religion and God
In many western countries, a large number of people believe in Christianity or Catholicism, which is widely accepted and became the source and fertile soil of English taboos. As for English-speaking societies, people have a strong sense of religion and they think thoughts are controlled by religious belief and feudal ethical codes. Further, owing to the productivity in the remote times was so low that some natural phenomena could not be explained, people at that time held that some religious words or expressions had a mysterious and supernatural power, so names of god and devil such as Jesus, Christ, Joseph, heaven, hell have to be completely avoided on many occasions. Yet, it is inevitable to mention the word "God" during the communication sometimes, so euphemism was created by the westerners to avoid directly mentioning the holy names. Compared with religious verbal taboos in English-speaking countries, there are similar taboos about God in Chinese as well. In the Chinese view of thinking, God enjoys such an absolutely high power that no one or other things have a capability to exceed. If a person wants to cite god as his witness while making his vows, such phrases as "天"（sky） "上天作证"，"对天发誓"，or "上苍见证"will be chosen to express his feeling. Besides, people have such expression in Chinese as "妖魔鬼怪"，"钟馗捉鬼"and "鬼来了".
2.2 Secretions and Excretions
In western countries, words related to the behavior of excretions seem to be vulgar, they are always substituted by so-called elegant words in the conversation of sociality, since words about secretions and excretions are considered to be tabooed and should be absolutely banned from general use in public. Both in English-speaking countries and in China, words concerning the behavior of urination and defecation are entirely abstained especially in eating; otherwise, they seem to be lousy. In terms of the Chinese expression, there are a large number of words that used to substitute urination and defecation in Chinese culture. The following phrases often occur in our daily conversations or in novels. For example: "出去一下", "方便一下"，"方便方便"，"去盥洗室"，"有点儿急事"，"解手"，"大号"，"小号"，"出恭"，"去唱歌"，etc.
3. Strategies of Avoiding Taboo
3.1 Unobtrusive Observation
In intercultural communication, uncertainly often occurs when we encounter people different from us. To communicate properly and effectively, we also need to know the information of the individuals we will encounter and the information of what and how we should say to them in a given situation. Under such circumstances, we can take the role of unobtrusive observes, widely used in sociolinguistics and other scientific studies, to gather information about them, to induce how they will interact with us and to decide how we should interact with them by observing and comparing how they interact with people like us and people different from us.
3.2 Question-asking Strategy
There is a proverb in Chinese "rujingwensu/入境问俗(on entering inquiry about its customs". However, we should be careful when asking people questions if we don't want to appear stupid or rude since what is considered acceptable may be unacceptable in the eyes of our communication partners.
3.3 Euphemism
Euphemism is an effective way of replacing unpleasant expression with pleasant ones. When confronting linguistic taboos in intercultural communication, one should either avoid them or try his best to use euphemisms so as not to offend others or threaten their face wants. In this way, we show respect for others and will be respected so that the communication may continue in the harmonious and pleasant atmosphere.
Bibliography
[1]Brown, P. &S. Levinson. 1987. Politeness: Some University in Language Usage. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[2]Freud, Sigmund. 1913. Totem and Taboo. London: Macmillan.
作者简介:孙晓华 女 咸宁职业技术学院中专部，籍贯:山西太原，1981年10月出生，学历:英语本科。
关键词：禁忌语; 跨文化交际; 文化; 相关因素
A Comparative Study of Chinese and English Taboos
1. Difference between English and Chinese Taboos
1.1 Taboos in Number
Belief provides the motivations and the reason for doing things. To some extent, taboo topics have a tight association with Christianity. The number 13 is not considered as a propitious one in English-speaking societies, for it was recorded in Bible that Jesus was killed by a disciple named Judas who was the 13th man attending the dinner that held by Jesus on Friday. Thus, the number 13 and the day of Friday were taboos, which gradually were inherited from generation to generation.
In Chinese culture, there are also taboo numbers such as 4, 73, 84. in Chinese, the number 4(si) has a same pronunciation with the word death(si), accordingly, we usually think the number 4 is unlucky and should be avoided, which customs are reflected in the Chinese language use.
1.2Taboos in Privacy Regarding Age, Weight, Income and so on.
As is known to all, the westerners place a high value on privacy. They are self-centered and hold the views that their individual interests can't be invaded at any time. The questions related to one's age, weight, income, marriage will never be asked; otherwise they will entice more prejudice, and offence. Yet, it is not the case in China. In fact, there is no equivalent term for "privacy" in Chinese. The spirit of collectivism is treasured by Chinese people from one generation to another. On the other hand, Chinese people enjoy living together with their family members because it is a way to show harmony in the Chinese view of thinking. It is not strange for us to find that even people from different families share a big courtyard in China. Further, people in China don't favor changing their homes frequently from one place to another. Consequently, the Chinese family members always live in one place through the whole life and they are ought to be very family with people who share the courtyard with them. We have a saying to the effect that"远亲不如近邻"， which means when in trouble, the one who can help you is not the relatives who live far away from you, but your neighbors.
2. Similarities between English and Chinese Taboos
2.1 Religion and God
In many western countries, a large number of people believe in Christianity or Catholicism, which is widely accepted and became the source and fertile soil of English taboos. As for English-speaking societies, people have a strong sense of religion and they think thoughts are controlled by religious belief and feudal ethical codes. Further, owing to the productivity in the remote times was so low that some natural phenomena could not be explained, people at that time held that some religious words or expressions had a mysterious and supernatural power, so names of god and devil such as Jesus, Christ, Joseph, heaven, hell have to be completely avoided on many occasions. Yet, it is inevitable to mention the word "God" during the communication sometimes, so euphemism was created by the westerners to avoid directly mentioning the holy names. Compared with religious verbal taboos in English-speaking countries, there are similar taboos about God in Chinese as well. In the Chinese view of thinking, God enjoys such an absolutely high power that no one or other things have a capability to exceed. If a person wants to cite god as his witness while making his vows, such phrases as "天"（sky） "上天作证"，"对天发誓"，or "上苍见证"will be chosen to express his feeling. Besides, people have such expression in Chinese as "妖魔鬼怪"，"钟馗捉鬼"and "鬼来了".
2.2 Secretions and Excretions
In western countries, words related to the behavior of excretions seem to be vulgar, they are always substituted by so-called elegant words in the conversation of sociality, since words about secretions and excretions are considered to be tabooed and should be absolutely banned from general use in public. Both in English-speaking countries and in China, words concerning the behavior of urination and defecation are entirely abstained especially in eating; otherwise, they seem to be lousy. In terms of the Chinese expression, there are a large number of words that used to substitute urination and defecation in Chinese culture. The following phrases often occur in our daily conversations or in novels. For example: "出去一下", "方便一下"，"方便方便"，"去盥洗室"，"有点儿急事"，"解手"，"大号"，"小号"，"出恭"，"去唱歌"，etc.
3. Strategies of Avoiding Taboo
3.1 Unobtrusive Observation
In intercultural communication, uncertainly often occurs when we encounter people different from us. To communicate properly and effectively, we also need to know the information of the individuals we will encounter and the information of what and how we should say to them in a given situation. Under such circumstances, we can take the role of unobtrusive observes, widely used in sociolinguistics and other scientific studies, to gather information about them, to induce how they will interact with us and to decide how we should interact with them by observing and comparing how they interact with people like us and people different from us.
3.2 Question-asking Strategy
There is a proverb in Chinese "rujingwensu/入境问俗(on entering inquiry about its customs". However, we should be careful when asking people questions if we don't want to appear stupid or rude since what is considered acceptable may be unacceptable in the eyes of our communication partners.
3.3 Euphemism
Euphemism is an effective way of replacing unpleasant expression with pleasant ones. When confronting linguistic taboos in intercultural communication, one should either avoid them or try his best to use euphemisms so as not to offend others or threaten their face wants. In this way, we show respect for others and will be respected so that the communication may continue in the harmonious and pleasant atmosphere.
Bibliography
[1]Brown, P. &S. Levinson. 1987. Politeness: Some University in Language Usage. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[2]Freud, Sigmund. 1913. Totem and Taboo. London: Macmillan.
作者简介:孙晓华 女 咸宁职业技术学院中专部，籍贯:山西太原，1981年10月出生，学历:英语本科。