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Social and Linguistic peculiarities of Taboo
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Matmuratova Gulchehra Tillayevna, teacher of English language and literature Department,
Urgench State University Ochilova Dilorom Alisherovna, student of English language and literature Department,
Urgench State University Saparbaeva Gulandom Masharipovna, Senior teacher of English language and literature Department,
Urgench State University E-mail: [email protected]
Social and Linguistic peculiarities of Taboo
Abstract: This article is dealt with the concept of taboo in English and its social and linguistic peculiarities. The impact of taboo on speech style is defined from linguistic point of view as a lexical mean of expression of thought. The nature of the taboo is explained basing on the leading theoretical conceptions by scientists.
Keywords: taboo, prohibition, community, universal taboos, supernatural, dangerous words, signify, forbid, social constraints
The English word 'taboo's traced back to Tongan tabu or the Fijian tabu. These words usually mean "not allowed", or "forbidden". In its current use in Tonga, the word tapu also means "sacred" or "holy", in the sense of being restricted or protected by custom or by law.
The use of the word taboo drawn from 'tabu' or "Tapu" means "not allowed". It dates back to 1777 and an English explorer, Captain James Cook, went to a place he named "the Friendly Islands" (now Tonga). Writing about the Tongans, he wrote: "Not one of them would sit down, or eat a bit of anything... On expressing my surprise at this, they were all taboo, as they said; which word has a very comprehensive meaning; but, in general, signifies that a thing is forbidden. When anything is forbidden be eat, or made use of, they say, that it is taboo. (Cook, 1812, p. 676).
A taboo is a vehement prohibition of an action based on the belief that such behavior is either too sacred or too
accursed for ordinary individuals to undertake, under threat of supernatural punishment. Such prohibitions are present in virtually all societies. The word has been somewhat expanded in the social sciences to strong prohibitions relating to any area of human activity or custom that is sacred or forbidden based on moral judgment and religious beliefs. "Breaking a taboo" is usually considered objectionable by society in general, not merely a subset of a culture.
Taboos can be found in words, gestures, topics, social and cultural behavior, body language and personal space. The Oxford English Dictionary defines them as 'Prohibition, generally of the use or practice of anything and in linguistics as a total or partial prohibition of the use of certain words, expressions, topics, etc., esp. in social intercourse'.
J. J. Varbot defined taboo and he observed that the word taboo has two meanings in our era:
Section 1. Linguistics
1) Religious prohibition of primitive people, that is to avoid harmful consequences
2) The prohibition of using words relating to social, economic, historical, cultural or ethnic condition.
Bloomfield wrote the linguistic view of taboo. He determined 3 situations of prohibition:
1) Religious terms: In English God, devil, heaven, hell and other terms are only used in religious speech. In ordinary cases, other words are used in place of them.
2) Impolite words. For instance: the prohibition of usage of words relating to feces.
3) Some terrible diseases or dangerous words related with taboo. For example: to die.
I. S. Kon defined taboo as social and cultural prohibition combined with religious sanctions. Crystal (1992, p.381), believes that taboo words mean words which people may not use without causing offence, because they refer to acts, objects or relationships which are widely felt to be embarrassing, distasteful, or harmful.
"Taboo is a cultural or religious custom that forbids people to do, touch, use or talk about a certain thing" (Oxford dictionary, 2000). "Taboo words are the words that are often considered offensive, shocking or rude, e. g. because they refer to sex, death, the body or race" (Oxford dictionary, 2000). Taboo can be considered as a prohibited behavior believed insulting to some people or to the society as a whole. There is no language without taboo words (dirty words) in the world. Some expressions that are considered as taboo and may elicit embarrassment or offence to people in one language may be used naturally by people in other languages. Taboo is a prescription of behavior that affects everyday life (Allan & Burridge 2006). Taboos arise out of social constraints on an individual's behavior that might cause discomfort, harm or injury. Taboo is a community's way of managing risk. These perceived risks range from metaphysical (fear of incurring the wrath or a lack of protection from the divine), to physical risk, with fears of disease and contamination. These attributions of risk often lead to taboos that constrain behavior associated with the sacred (prescribed behaviors around religious objects and rituals). Such behaviors may become ritualized and/or become defining ofbelonging to or being 'other' to a community, as with the Jewish prohibition
against eating pork, which defines believers as 'clean' and as belonging to the community, or being foreign and
other (c. f., Douglas 1970).Prohibitions within a culture may also lead to other, lesser forms of taboo associated with etiquette, and conversely with social ostracism or censure. Speech behaviors are one response to taboo subjects, where language use becomes shaped by fear or distaste. There are traces of taboo deformations, avoidances and omissions of speaking of certain topics, in many languages.
Importantly for us, taboos vary from culture to culture. For example, the subject ofhow much you earn is taboo in the UK but not in other cultures, whereas homosexuality is a subject many British people are comfortable with, but a clear taboo in many other countries. Taboos change as societies change, so topics such as divorce and depression and illnesses such as cancer and AIDS may not be as taboo as they used to be (interestingly, almost no universal taboos have ever been identified, but many are shared by almost all cultures — incest, patricide and cannibalism are three examples).
In Uzbek language people try to avoid taboo in daily life. Taboos may occur in the family, at school or university. For instance, at table a young person must not begin eating unless an old person eats. This action is considered taboo in our country. In our family affairs, a new daughter-in-law must not speak to the family members, especially to the elderly people in a loud voice. Some of them avoid speaking their father-in-laws. This process may even last for years. In the family the daughter-in-law should bow to the elderly people of the family. This action is the sign of respect to them. If she does not do that, then it is considered taboo. According to our culture, children must not thou their parents. But it is not taboo in other countries.
We may come across taboos at school or university life. In our country there are certain rules for pupils and students how to behave themselves in educational institutions. For instance, learners must not chew a gum during the lesson. At the
beginning or at the end of the lesson they should stand up in order to show their respect to their teacher. In the classroom they should sit at desk according to the norms of conduct. However, these actions do not coincide with those of foreign countries. If the students break these rules, it is a taboo in our country. But it may be normal for other countries.
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3. Stekauer P. An Onomasiological Theory of English Word- Formation. Amsterdam: John Benjamins., 1998.
