| Due to its sensitive nature,linguistic taboo has long been put aside in the study of language.Few records can be found in the authoritative documents of linguistics and noble linguists also wouldn't like to discuss them.The early contributions to the study of linguistic taboo are relevant to anthropology, ethnography and sociolinguistics.Few systematic studies have been made into English taboo from the adaptation to the context and even fewer have been made on the introduction of "theory of adaptation" into it.Thus on the basis of other scholars' researches in communication,this thesis attempts to do a tentative study in this new area,by adopting a new theory in pragmatics—the theory of adaptation—to the current study.It starts with an introduction of the previous studies of linguistic taboo, the importance of studying English taboo in intercultural communication,the methodology adopted in this study and the purpose of the study.On the basis of the statement of the definition,factors,features and functions of linguistic taboo,the thesis suggests putting the study in specific contexts.Using language consists of the continuous making of linguistic choices, consciously or unconsciously for language-internal and language-external reasons,while the selection of words must dynamically adapt to different psychological salience.The theory of adaptation contains four angles of investigation,i.e.contextual correlates of adaptation,structural objects of adaptation,dynamics of adaptation,and salience of the adaptation process. The views expressed in Verschueren's Theory of Adaptation are enlightening and provide powerful theoretical support for the current study. In accordance with the Adaptation Theory,English taboo is a highly conscious act of linguistic choices and involves various linguistic devices for its realization at different levels of linguistic structure.The process of the speaker's linguistic choices is a dynamic process of adaptation in various contexts:adaptation to language user,adaptation to the mental world, adaptation to the social world,and adaptation to the physical world.The adaptation to communicative contexts may result in the language producer's selection of English taboo as an effective communicative strategy.The birth and the proper use of English taboo is an adaptation to the language user's own intention or motives or social norms in various specific contexts to realize,more smoothly,his communicative intention.In intercultural communications it is very easy to cause linguistic and cultural transfers when the language user chooses and uses language.The linguistic and cultural negative transfers concerning linguistic taboo may lead to pragmatic failure at various levels,among which is improper use of English taboos.Euphemism is the most effective way to avoiding taboo.To some extent,taboo and euphemism are synonyms.Besides euphemism,indirect speech and vague language can also be used to avoid taboo words.They adapt to the specific factors in contexts.From the theory of adaptation,the thesis tries to do a systematic study on English taboo,expecting to find a more scientific explanation of English taboo and to expand the field of linguistic study.Finally it indicates the limitations of the current study and suggestions for further study. |
