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1、The Differences between English and Chinese Verbal TaboosAbstract: This thesis is mainly focused on the comparison between English and Chinese verbal taboos. And verbal taboos are divided into three aspects such as, forms of address, topic and privacy and compliments. This thesis mainly focuses on t
2、he analysis of the differences of verbal taboos between different cultures from cultural view of English and Chinese. And here we will discuss the different reaction people may show towards the same words and deeds or something like that. This thesis aims to let readers have a general view on the Ch
3、inese and English verbal taboos, hoping that people from different cultural background will understand each other well and communicate with each other in harmony.Key Words: western; Chinese; verbal taboos; comparisonAs the explanation in Oxford Advanced Learners English-Chinese Dictionary, “taboos a
4、re words that many people consider offensive or shocking, for example because they refer to sex, the body, or peoples race.” A modern linguist Robinett considers that taboo is a kind of social principle or standard to prevent the harmful behavior of people. From these definitions it can be summarize
5、d as: taboo word is a kind of language that people can not arbitrarily use in order to be courteous or to avoid causing others strong antipathy.There are many kinds of taboos that are very different from each other, because of respective deep-rooted cultures, histories and life styles of English and
6、 Chinese. It is especially important for us to be aware of what the differences are in order to understand each other well. Most taboos are verbal ones. In case of causing unpleasantness and embarrassment, people are careful of the topics they share and the words and deeds they speak and act. They f
7、ind that it is not easy for them to express or speak anything at their pleasure. Moreover, in order to make a valid communication, they may obviate some topics or certain vocabulary intentionally in daily life.The verbal taboos range from personal life to family life and social intercourse not only
8、in China but also in western societies. Verbal taboos mainly include three types: forms of address, topic and privacy and compliments.1. Forms of addressIn order to communicate successfully with each other, people from different cultural background had better to be careful of the ways of address. In
9、 many western countries, people can address their parents or grandparents names directly and address others by using the first name such as, John, Belinda and Ethan, regardless of age, rank, status or job and so on, even if they meet for the first time. People are not expected to address their frien
10、ds and relatives too formally such as, Mr., Mrs. or Miss; because they believe that it may cause them discomfort and estrange their relations. All the people from the head of the state to the civilian can do it, because they hold the view that “men are created equal”. They can address the head of st
11、ate “President Bush” and Mr. Bush as well; they can call the teacher of the university professor Wang or Mr. Wang. The reason is that the western culture stresses the importance of individual. Although “there are strong family ties and strong loyalties to groups, individuality and individual rights
12、are most important. If this seems like a selfish attitude, it also leads Americans to an honest respect for other individuals and insistence on human equality”. 英语沙龙，（English Salon）,2005年7月，第16页 People believe that all the men own un-deprivable rights, which were authorized by God. In the Declaratio
13、n of Independence, we can see the strong sense of equality. And this kind of sense reflected in ways of address is the symmetrical form of address. We can learn that what a strong desire people showed to erase the distinction of social status.While in China, for the reason of “上下有别，长幼有序”the younger
14、generation are not expected to call their ancestors or the elders names directly. They cannot even use the name, which had already been used by their ancestors. “It may be a tradition in the family to name their children after their parents, grandparents or other close relatives” 英语世界，（The World of
15、English ）,2006年2月，第113页 in western countries. However, if a Chinese child does share the same name with their ancestors, he/she has to change for another name or it will be regarded as the worst treason and offense. And if a child calls the elders name directly, he will be thought to be unaccomplish
16、ed and uncultured. It is also considered a taboo that you address someones name directly whose rank is higher than yours. If this case happens, it may cause you troubles or something unexpected. For example, once a teacher went to the government hall to deal with some business and the section leader
17、 happened to be his former student. Instead of addressing the section leader by title, he called his name directly. To the teachers astonishment, his former student ignored him and took him to be a stranger. However, this case would not happen if it were in the western countries. In the western coun
18、tries, people call teacher “Mr. Wang” but not “teacher Wang” as we do in China. Addressing a teacher “teacher Wang” may confuse him, so do other forms of address as we do in china such as，师傅and同志，which can be used to address strangers, but in western countries, people may just say, “Excuse me”, “Hel
19、lo”, or “I am sorry.”, etc. It is obvious that “同志”and “小姐”in China, as time goes by, have changed their original meanings gradually, because “同志” may refers to gay and “小姐” to prostitute or streetwalker.The reasons of differences are that Chinese traditional culture values the collectivism and stre
20、sses the importance of collectivity. That is to say, if one person wants to accomplish his personal status and values, he must place it in the collectivism.2 Topic and privacyThe differences in this term between English and Chinese are wide. “The whole matter of privacy, as understood in west, is al
21、ien to many Chinese” 邓炎昌，刘润清：语言与文化，北京：外语教学与研究出版社，1994，第97页. Chinese dont take it so seriously as the westerners do. While in west, it will be thought to offend others if someone tends to engage in others privacy without permission of others. As the sayings go, “a mans home is his castle” and “mind y
22、our business”. Others are not expected to set foot on ones “private business”, “private affairs” or “private concerns”. While in China, people take it to be solicitous to “know” others privacy such as, age, marriage, salary and so on. When meeting someone in the street or on some similar occasions,
23、they may say, “你吃了吗?”, which “is the most important and most popular sentence in the Chinese language, used wherever and whenever” 新东方英语，（New Oritntal English）,2005年12月，第13页. The function of it is just like “Hi, Hello” as westerners may greet each other when they meet but it would confuse westerners
24、 if you say it to them. They may think that you are going to invite them to have a dinner. Westerners privacy scope is wide. For example, you cannot ask a westerner the following questions except that you are a police or a doctor and have a form to fill in: “How much do you make?” “Are you married o
25、r single?” “Are you a Republican or a Democrat?” and “Whats your religion?”. If you ask the questions mentioned above, you are not to greet people but to enrage them. Another aspect is that westerners take it to be natural and frank to talk about “sex”. While in China, it will embarrass people or ma
26、ke them misunderstand your intention. To Chinese, “sex” is too private to be talked about in public.The reasons that Chinese are not as serious as westerners to privacy mainly due to the following facts: firstly, most parts of China are rural areas and people usually live closely together in a small
27、 area. They know each other very well and usually“走家串户”. Even in the cities or towns in northern China, many people live together in“四合院”.With such arrangements, it is hardly possible for people to keep his privacy from others. Because they contact and meet each other continually, as the Chinese say
28、ing goes,“抬头不见低头见”.This situation is very different from that in the western societies where many people have their individual houses with surrounding garden or yard. Another reason is that the traditional idea of ones affairs is different. It is not very hard for you to hear“你的事就是我的事”in China. The
29、communal spirit has been prevailing for a long time in every generation and vast in every corner of society. So you can also hear the Chinese saying going like this “一方有难，八方支援”.3 ComplimentsCompliment is one kind of language used to express praise, admiration, approval and greeting and an important
30、measure to maintain and enhance the interpersonal-ship. Nevertheless, different cultures value it in different ways. Westerners tend to accept the compliment rather than reject it. While Chinese tend to murmur some reply to them; they will reply with“哪里哪里”, “过奖了”or “不敢当”so as to show that they are m
31、odest. They hold the tenet that“谦受益，满招损”.However, the over-modesty will confuse the westerners. They may doubt their judgments or consider Chinese hypocritical. For example, once Li Hongzhang, an officer of Qing dynasty, visited America and invited the American officers to dinner. He said like this,
32、“我们略备粗撰，聊表寸心，没有什么可口的，实在不成敬意，请诸位包涵”. http:/ Bibliography:1 Hudson, R.A. Sociolinguistics. London: Oxblood University, 19802 Todd, Lerento et al. The International English Usage, Croon Helm Ltd, 18963 Larry A. Samovar& Richard E. Porter. Communication Between Cultures.北京：北京大学出版社，2009.4邓炎昌刘润清:语言与文化，北京:
33、外语教学与研究出版社，1994，第101页5郑春苗:中西文化比较研究，北京:北京语言学院出版社，19906庄和诚:英语禁忌语争议，现代外语出版社11 99U7大学英语，(College English )，2005年1月，第33页8新东方英语，(New Oriental English)，2005年12月，第113页9新东方英语)，(New Oriental English )，2005年1, 2月，第236页10英语沙龙)，( English Salon)，2005年7月，第16页11英语世界，( The world of English )，2006年2月，第113页12 http:/ t
34、he interpreter translated it into he following sentences: “we have just prepared some poor food and nothing is as delicious as it should be. Perhaps these dishes even cannot help to show my kindness to you all. Please excuse me.” These few sentences, instead of expressing modesty, touched off a publ
35、ic uproar. They may ask, “why do you invite us to a dinner which you have already known that it is nothing delicious?”. Cultural difference and different views on compliments may cause misunderstandings in the cross-cultural intercourse. Moreover, it is common for an American to show others how exce
36、llent his wife or her husband is and how clever his/her sons and daughters are. American consider it to be normal and natural, but it is taken to be show off or flaunt in Chinese society. Hence, if a person is too modest, he may be thought to be not sincere and “fishing for a compliment”(故作谦虚，以搏表扬).
37、Another aspect is that over-complimenting others will make others antipathy. It is true in Chinese and western; society as well. People will think that the person who over-complimented others all the time may has hidden motives or purposes. In Chinese word, it is“拍马屁”or“马屁精”, and in English idiom of
38、 American countryside, it is “to polish the apple”. From the above, we can see that English-speaking people usually try to give prominence to themselves and distinguish themselves from the collectivity. While Chinese usually stress the tenet:“枪打出头鸟”.According to linguist -Greoffrey Leechs Politeness
39、 Principe, we can find that Chinese place the importance of politeness rule, especially the modesty rule even at the price of telling the truth or honesty. Most Chinese hold that it is more important for someone to depreciate himself or herself to some degree to keep harmony with others; yet, wester
40、ners lay stress on telling truth and keeping polite as well. Nevertheless, they tend to be telling truth at the price of being polite.Conclusion：In brief, every culture has its own taboos that are quite different from others because of the complicated factors. But with the development of cross-cultu
41、re communication, in order to comprehend each other well and get along well with people from other cultures, it is necessary for us to master taboos of different countries. As the saying goes,“入乡问俗，入国问禁”.While for the reason of limitation of thought and convention of language, some demeanors or behaviors, which people nurtured unintentionally, may offend others. So it is advisable for us to“克人之心克己，容己之心容人”.Then people from different cultures and backgrounds will communicate with each other in harmony.