1、Taboos,一、禁亵渎性词语,在西方国家，人们认为滥用上帝或上帝的名字是不敬的,所以与这类相关的词语一般是要避免的,而且也常常避免谈到魔鬼，如： 上帝的名字Jehovah God(上帝) hell(地狱) devil( 魔鬼) Christ(基督) 如果要使用，则God说成Dod，Gom，Godfrey等,二、禁辱骂性词语,辱骂性语言在英语中属于淫秽性语言 (obscene language)，也可以说是脏话(dirty words)，常常是人们避讳的。如： son of bitch(狗娘养的) For Christs sake! (为了基督！) God damned! (神啊，受诅咒吧！)
2、 Oh, damn it! (诅咒它吧！) 英语里还有用动物的名称来骂人的，如骂某人为cow, swine, pig，stallion等等, 这些是禁止使用的。 英语中有些辱骂性词语往往是四个字母组成，在交际当中也是要避讳的，所以four-letter words （四字经）也被认为是禁忌语。如：Fuck,? Shit,三、禁歧视性词语,美国黑人在历史上倍受歧视，过去那些用来咒骂黑人的种族歧视语变得敏感起来，变成了禁忌语。 比如，nigger是侮辱性色彩强烈的完全禁忌语，Negro有蔑视意味，也属禁忌语。现在人们称美国黑人为blacks 或African American。英语中还有一些含有“
3、black”的词语也是禁忌语。英语中“white”表示“清白”“纯洁”“干净”“慈善”等这些都是有积极含义的褒义词；而“black”则与“邪恶”“罪孽”“肮脏”等有关。如：blackguard，blacklist，black mark等。全家引以为耻的“败家子”叫black sheep，不叫white sheep。无恶意的谎言叫white lie，不像ordinary lie(一般的谎言)或black lie(用心险恶的谎言)那么坏。,四、 禁隐私性问题,英语中有一谚语：A mans home is his castle,说明英语国家的人很重视privacy,对询问别人的隐私问题被看作不礼貌的
4、行为。因此以下的问题应避免提及： How old are you? Whats your age? How much do you make? Whats your income? How much did that dress cost you? How much did you pay for that car?Are you married or single? How come youre still single?,So youve divorced. What was the reason? Couldnt you tow get along? Are you a Republic
5、an or a Democrat? Why did you vote for- Do you go to church? Whats your religion? Are you Catholic? 相反，中国人并不认为问这些问题没有什么不妥。他们认为对别人这些方面的询问是显示对别人的一种关心。,五、迷信与禁忌,英美社会中有一些常见的迷信说法和禁忌，如下： 1) To get out of bed on the wrong side means you will have a bad day. 2) It is unlucky to have a black cat cross the roa
6、d in front of you. 3) The bride should not see the husband on the morning before the wedding4) Cattle lying down indicate rain.,5) A cricket in the house is good luck. 6) To pass under a ladder brings bad luck. 7) Lighting three cigarettes from one match brings bad luck to the third person.8) To break a mirror brings seven years bad luck. 9) Carrying a rabbits foot brings good luck. 10) Opening an umbrella in the house is bad luck.,Thank you,
