A Comparison of Taboos Between Chinese and Western Culture英語專業(yè)畢業(yè)論文

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1、課 題 A Comparison of Taboos Between Chinese and Western Culture 一、 課題(論文)提綱 0.引言 1. 社交禮俗禁忌 2. 飲食習(xí)慣禁忌 3. 節(jié)日禁忌 4. 宗教禁忌 5. 語言禁忌比較 6. 其他禁忌 6.1 數(shù)字的禁忌 6.2 顏色的禁忌 6.3 花卉的禁忌 結(jié)束語 二、內(nèi)容摘要 禁忌就像一種無形的戒律束縛著人們的語言和行為，使他們不敢越雷池一步。因此，禁忌成為人們交際活動，尤其是

2、跨文化交際的一大障礙。在日常交往中，觸犯禁忌常常導(dǎo)致友誼的破裂、交易的失敗、種族的沖突等等較為嚴(yán)重的后果。因此，有必要中西文化禁忌的比較，避免不必要的文化沖突，促進(jìn)人類的和諧發(fā)展。 三、 參考文獻(xiàn) [1]杜學(xué)增:中英文化習(xí)俗比較[M].北京：外語教學(xué)與研究出版社，2003 [2]楊宗聶家恩郭全盛:中國實用禁忌大全[C].上海：上海文化出版社，1991 [3]李振瀾:外國風(fēng)俗事典[C].成都：四川辭書出版社，1989. [4]胡文仲:英美文化辭典[C].北京:外語教學(xué)與研究出版社，1995 [5]弗洛伊德著楊庸一譯:圖騰與禁忌[C].北京：外語教學(xué)與研

3、究出版社，1986 A Comparison of Taboos Between Chinese and Western Culture Abstract: Taboos are practices or verbal expressions considered by a society or culture as improper or unacceptable. Taboos often are rooted in the beliefs of the people of a specific region or culture and

4、are passed down from generation to generation. Taboo is like an invisible discipline to fetter peoples language and behavior, causes them afraid to do much things. Therefore, the taboos become a major obstacle in communicative activities, especially Cross-cultural Communication. In the daily contac

5、t, offends the taboo often leads to more serious consequence, such as friendship frequently break and transaction defeat, the race conflict and so on. Therefore, it is necessary to compare Chinese and Western taboos to avoid unnecessary cultural conflict and promote harmonious development of mankind

6、. Key words: taboos; culture; comparison; Introduction In recent years, as international cultural exchanges more and more frequent, opportunities for cross-cultural communication become more and more, cross-cultural communication has become a generally accepted vocabulary. The leader carries out

7、the political negotiations is carrying out the Trans-Culture human relations cross-cultural communication, make business negotiations with foreign businessmen are also conducting cross-cultural communication, go abroad for travel, study or receipt foreigners are doing cross-cultural communication. O

8、n the Internet chatting with a foreigner is also conducting cross-cultural communication. Cross-cultural communication is a study, it study people in the process of cross-cultural communication problems and conflicts arise, as well as it is knowledge. Cross-cultural communication is Intercultur

9、al Communication in English; it is also called as is Cross-cultural Communication. After Hall’s "silent world" publication, Cross-Cultural Communication Studies first emerge in the US, cross-cultural Communication Studies developed quite late in Europe. To the mid-1970s, in the United States have mo

10、re than 200 universities set up cross-cultural communication studies courses. At present, Intercultural Education Training and Research Institute SIETAR play an important role in the World. In the cross-cultural contact, the taboo is the most sensitive topic. The cultural taboos research has be

11、come an important content of cross-cultural communication. The so-called taboo is in the daily life either the work forbids or abstained from the people do the matter or said words. The taboo’s English correspondence word is taboo. The taboo is the cultural phenomenon, which is shared by world vario

12、us nationalities, but taboo′s tent and the form is different, taboo is ubiquitous nearly, from the daily life, to political and economic each aspect. 1. Public relations decorum and customs taboo In Western countries, it is necessary to make an appointment in advance for visiting someone, and proh

13、ibited visit suddenly. Because visited suddenly can disrupt interviewees working arrangement, at the same time, it cause great inconvenience him. Chinese started to make an appointment in the business circle, the political circle even daily life, but it not stringent; visit suddenly is not regarded

14、as a serious infringement. It is pleasantly surprised by a surprise visit; it let people think that it is not a great lack of respect for each other. In addition, China and the Western also have the very big difference in the visit time, if the agreement is 10 oclock, Chinese think that 10 oclock is

15、 the ultimate deadline; guest should no later than ten oclock arrive, or few minutes in advance, because guest can’t let the master wait for a long time; But the westerner think that 10 oclock is the earliest arrival time, it is better to postpone a few minutes, because the master need sufficient ti

16、me to prepare. In the conversation，the Westerner refuses to involve personal privacy, such as age, income, marriage, love, property, degree of stoutness and so on. Personal privacy is placed in a high position; even they regard the price of goods as an infringement of privacy, which they purcha

17、se, through this we can see the Western individualism, the self-center is serious. In China, it is very normal thing to talk about income, age, marriage, stature and so on. “Where are you?” often asked in the telephone, persons relations is closer, in some rural areas, people help other as their own

18、ing thing to do, their first consideration is how to help other and without considering others willing, they think it is reasonable. In China, talking about other’s weaknesses is a taboo in conversation, the criticism words cannot speak frankly, must express tactfully. In addition, when tal

19、king in public places, Western is absolutely forbidden to speak loudly; people make a quiet conversation to avoid their own conversation affecting other people. In China, Many public places are noisy, if you not speak loudly, you wouldn’t hear, for a long time you will form the habit that you speak

20、loudly, sometimes in a quiet western restaurant, you wouldn’t consciously loud talking and laughing. Western culture has a strict taboo about one meter. In bank or customs and so on, people observe the order strictly, and keep about one meter distance with previous one, avoid participating in othe

21、rs conversation. But China not has such taboos, when lining up, the person and persons distance is very near, sometimes they would provide the unexpected warm-hearted help. 2. Diet taboo Food taboos both include the content of the diet and eating way. Islam envy with eating pork, Hinduism envy

22、 with eating beef, Buddhist envy with eating all kinds of meat. In western, when eating, the knife and fork envy with making noise. In China, people envy with using chopsticks beat bowl. Specifically speaking, Westerners envy with fat, chicken and ducks skin, animals internal organs, dog meat,

23、snake meat and so on. In the diet way, Westerners drinks the soup envy with making noise; when dining, Westerners envy with gobble, in particular, envying with using knife and fork to beat cup, they think it would bring bad luck; when having buffet, it is a taboo to left food in plate. When Chinese

24、have a dining, they envy that the seats not divide primary and secondary; at the same time, they envy with inserting chopsticks in bowl, which is filled with rice, because it is a sacrifice to the deceased person; envying with flipping spatial bowl on the table, because it would curse person to fall

25、 ill; envy strike the spatial bowl with the chopsticks, because it is bummers behavior; the people living in seashore, they think that it is a taboo to turn fish over, when eating fish, because it indicate shipwreck, at the same time, it would bring bad luck to them. Drinking in the Western, there a

26、re all kinds of wine, but they envy with abusing to drink, before meal, they drink aperitif, and after dinner drink whiskey or cocktail, they drink champagne to celebrate. Chinese people generally not drink many kinds of liquor in a banquet. 3. Festival taboo Christmas is an important festival

27、 in Western countries. On this day, people will make puddings, each member of the family should stir the pudding and to promise a wish. But it has a taboo that doesn’t counterclockwise stir the pudding, only clockwise, and their wish can′t tell anyone, otherwise, their wish will not effect. On New Y

28、ears Day, Westerners think that the first visit will determine the New Year’s luck, so they not hope that one with red hair, face is not correct, or a woman to visit, they will invite a male friend as the first one visit, Chinas Spring Festival is the most important traditional festivals, on this da

29、y, it is taboo to say “over”, "no more" and so on, they envy with breaking goods, if broken, the person must say “be safe and sound every year”, in first lunar month first day, it is a taboo to sweep trash, because Chinese think that it would let their good luck loss. During the festival period, so

30、me gift will be exchange. Westerners envy with sending expensive gift, because sending expensive gift would be considered a kind of bribery, at the same time, it would bring a lot of trouble to the receiver. In the commercial contact, envying send cheap gift, which has your company′s logo, it would

31、indicate that you are not sincerity or you make the advertisement for your company; gentleman envy with sending cosmetics, clothing, perfume to lady, if he do it, it would indicate that he is interested to the lady Westerner often take fresh flowers as their gift, and it is fastidious to send flower

32、s.Fristly, flowers can not be sent to an even number, because the number of pairs will bring bad luck. Also, can not send white flowers, in their opinion the Chinese wedding ceremony uses the white lily is inconceivable, because the white flower always lets people remember the hospital, the funeral

33、and so on, it is a gift to send patient and deceased person. Chinese gives a present envy excessively light, it would let the receiver feel that you despise him; because sending a gift is according to the receiver′s need, you can send the thing, which receiver′s need, it is not many taboos 4. Relig

34、ious taboo Religious taboos are observed most stringent in people’s lives. Various countries have the different religious belief, the Western people mainly believe in Christianity, it including Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. In China, people mainly believe in Buddhism, Islamism and Taoism. Wes

35、tern Christian cannot worship the idol, and cannot misuse the name of God, India′s Christians envy with holding wedding ceremony in the evening, Tongas Christian envy with leaving home to work on Sunday. Catholic teachers are not allowed to marry. Nasilafu Catholic envying with hold wedding ceremony

36、 on Tuesday or Sunday. Within the two or three weeks after the funeral, the family of the deceased envying with interviewing guests, and cannot hold party within this year. Protestants can not worship any idols and other gods, before meals and going to bed, they must pray. Chinese Buddhist envying

37、with drinking, killing, and eating meat. They can′t marry and accept any property. Taoism priests taboo is similar with Buddhism. Islam envy with eating pork and animals blood, they are not allow to drink, Sending gift envy with the gift with animal logo, they envy with putting on shoes to enter the

38、 mosque, in addition, they envy with use left hand to touch food. 5. Comparison of Language Taboos Taboo is an important component of social taboo. The religion has brought most language taboos. In western, Gods name Jehovah (Jehovah) is the biggest taboo. In any situation people cant say or abuse

39、 Gods name. Moreover, similar religious glossary is used in serious situation, such as God, devil, heaven, hell, Christ and Jesus and so on. Chinese envy with any disrespects for the god that they belief in and worship. On the name aspect, China have five taboos in ancient, they are State taboo, off

40、icial taboo, family taboo, the wicked taboo, State taboo meaning that people cant named same name of the emperor and the emperor′s ancestors, Offending the state taboo can bring fatal disaster; official taboo meaning that people can′t take the same name with highly placed people, also it can′t same

41、with saints’ name, such as Confucius, Laozi, Mencius and so on, if do it , it would be think that it is not respected to saints; family taboo meaning that the person can′t take the same name with guardian and teachers, envying the family taboo is a performance that person respects the ancestor. the

42、finally, the wicked taboo meaning that people not take the same name with evil person, because they hate evil person. In the western culture, the racial discrimination is an important component of language taboo. In the U.S., Negro has strong insulting, which used to call the black, it should be cal

43、led black, boy is boy used to call African Americans, it has a meaning of slave, it should avoid. 6. Other taboos 6.1 Number taboos Westerners generally considered that thirteen is inauspicious number, Should avoid it as far as possible. The reason they so taboo to thirteen, mainly due to two

44、 kinds of legends: One is the Christian legend, According to legend, one of Jesus’ 12 disciples, Judas, for the sake of 30 silver coins, betrays Jesus to Judaism person in power, and lead the way to arrest Jesus . Because of his betraying, Jesus was crucified on the cross. The Italian painter, Leona

45、rdo da Vinci create the great picture "The Last Supper" take this as the theme, Describes Jesus and his disciples with the dining scene on the eve of he was betrayed, In the picture, the 13th individual participates in the dinner is Judas. Another legend from Norway, Nordic mythology, Legend in hea

46、ven, in the pantheon of the heroes holds the dinner for mourning soldiers, who died, When 12 god dining together, suddenly an unexpected visitor - - - evil spirit Rocky brush into, Added up to 13 individuals, as result, the highest god Odins son, light god Bald died, and Other gods were always in t

47、rouble. These two legends spread widely, therefore, the westerner think that thirteen is a symbol of misfortune. And also Westerners generally think that Friday is inauspicious. According to Christian legend, Jesus was crucified on Friday. Another legend, the Adam and Eve violated Gods prohibition o

48、n Friday. In general, the westerners not hold activities in 13th, even the house number hotel number, the floor, the banquet table number, the motorcade automobiles serial number, and so on are not use thirteen, invitation not arrange in 13th to hold. If 13th and Friday in the same day, then this d

49、ay is called “the black Friday”. In addition, the death of the West because of the war of terror, but also taboo "3", especially in the cigarette lighter, when the third person point, they are often reluctant Chinese think that a few figures age is a taboo, 55 and 66 are considered that they wou

50、ld bring bad luck, the proverb said: the person lives for 55 years, the yammer counts; the person lives for 66 years, he would dead or in trouble. Also 73 and 84 are considered trouble age by Chinese. Moreover, if a person lived to 100 years old, can not said：a millennium turtle and ten thousand yea

51、r essence, 100 year old hedgehog； as if lived to 100 years old would become an animal. It would be say the age normally after one hundred years. 6.2 Color Taboos Color is closely linked with ours life, it not only can affect our daily emotions，but also reflect each persons personality. In gene

52、ral, red symbolizes passion, happy, glorious, justice and power; green symbolizes peace, friendliness, hope and vitality；purple symbolizes noble, majestic and mysterious；Yellow symbolizes harmony,religion and belief; Black symbolizes solemn；blue symbolizes calm；white symbolizes purity, simplicity； g

53、ray symbolizes ordinary, simple; gold silver symbolizes wealth and ornate；Coffee color symbolizes solid and subtle. However, Color taboo means different countries and regions prohibition of using a certain color established by popular usage. On one hand, social community forbids an individual to use

54、 a certain color; on the other hand, an individual restrains oneself to use a certain color. Some color taboos stem from color’s visual impressions from physics, chemistry, physiology; but most of them originate from colors emotional and symbolic effects namely peoples comprehension. As a culture ph

55、enomenon, color taboos will weaken and disappear with the development of the society, but many new understandings will be produced. In color, the Chinese envies with using red color pen to write a letter or their name. Red on behalf of celebrations or revolution in China, therefore, red is forbi

56、d used at funeral. The yellow was kings symbol in the ancient times, if the person used yellow, it means that he wanted to kill emperor, and he would be killed by the state. In modern China, yellow freely used, it means bright, but it used in the derogatory meaning in certain time. In addition,

57、due to political and historical reasons, the use of color is also taboo. Such as Ireland envy with red ,white and blue combination（which is the British national flag）；Venezuela envy with red, green, blue, black, and black（they stand for five major political parties）；France, Belgium envy with dark g

58、reen, because it is the Nazi military uniforms color. 6.3 Flower taboos Flowers color has different meaning. Generally speaking, safflower meaning love, expression favorable impression and friendship；white flowers expressed pure；yellow flowers expressed jealousy； Dark-colored flowers symbolize

59、 hope and perseverance; light-colored flowers are a symbol of tenderness. The presentation of flowers is a scholarship, and also is an art. With flowers to express the language is too rich. Every flower has a certain meaning and contains a silent language. Therefore, you should choose different flow

60、ers according to the receivers conditions when sending flowers. When men and women are in love with each other, men generally send roses and lilies to women they love. Being beautiful, elegant, pure, fragrant, these flowers are the pledge and symbol of love. When congratulating on a friends birthday

61、, you ought to send Chinese roses, red palms, golden rod and Gypsophila paniculata. These flowers symbolize splendid prospects during the best years of life. When congratulating a newly married couple, you should send roses, lilies, tulips, common Freesia, African chrysanthemum, red palms and Bird o

62、f Paradise flowers, as for wedding bouquet, adding several branches of Gypsophila paniculata appropriately will make the bouquet florid. There are many taboos on sending flowers to a sick. When visiting a sick, you should never send a potted flower in case it will be mistaken for an incompletely

63、 cured illness after being ill for a long time. Sharply scented flowers do harm to the sick who has received an operation as they tend to cause coughing; flowers with too flashy colors will jar on the nerves of the sick and stimulate a feeling of annoyance. It is appropriate to send orchids, narciss

64、us, callas, lilies and sword lilies, etc. You may also choose flowers that the sick has a preference for at ordinary times. In this way, flowers will contribute to the peace of mind and the sick will get well as soon as possible. People like flowers very much, but the different country and the n

65、ationality have different taboos to flowers. In Japan, lotus is considered an ominous thing, meaning memorial；yellow color flower flowers are regarded as not loyal in France; The deep red purple flowers are used in the funeral in Brazil; The chrysanthemum is regarded as "demon flower" in some countr

66、ies of Latin America. They use it in a memorial ceremony, not put chrysanthemums indoor, and not regard it as gift to send. At the international communication occasions, envying with the chrysanthemum, azaleas, mangos teen flower, or yellow color yellow color flower gives to the visitor has become a practice. Conclusion With the development of science and technology, communication among people from different countries and different cultures is more freq