Why Are Taboo Words Taboo? Questions and Discussions from Our Students

• "Hello, XX Restaurant. Table for how many?"

Elders: "3+1."

I believe those of us in Taiwan have definitely heard such a response or said it ourselves.

The other day in our critical thinking course, we had a session where students could choose their own topics.

This course aims to encourage students to question social phenomena, linguistic trends, technological developments, and more from their growing-up experiences, guiding them to think carefully and engage in discussions or debates on these issues and phenomena.

[Student's Question]

That day, one of our students chose the topic: "Why do many elders say '3+1' when dining out? Where do taboo words in speech come from?"

With the advancement of social sciences, many taboos of the past have been broken; for instance, the practice of naming taboos that reflected feudal patriarchal concepts and hierarchical systems no longer exists today. While there are fewer taboos today, why are euphemisms still on the rise?

[Class Discussion]

First, let us define together what a "euphemism" is.

Euphemisms can be divided into taboo euphemisms and rhetorical euphemisms, mostly using metaphors to shift away from "bad" concepts within a given culture.

[Note] Please pay attention to the students' reflections at the end of the article, specifically how they redefine, understand, and draw conclusions about the term "bad."

"Taboo euphemisms" stem from "not daring to say, not allowed to say," whereas "rhetorical euphemisms" mostly stem from "reluctance to say, awkwardness to say."

The comparison between taboo words and euphemisms can be analyzed based on linguistic reasons, sociolinguistics, scope of usage, vocabulary usage, and modes of expression.

Simply put, within the human psyche, it follows: "Worship (Reverence) → Fear (Awe) → Taboo → Avoidance → Euphemism."

Euphemisms are used to replace certain taboo words, exchanging the "unspeakable" and loathed "taboo words" for the "speakable" and favored "euphemisms." Therefore, some euphemisms are actually variations of taboo words, existing in a co-occurring, symbiotic relationship aimed at downplaying the severe. For example, since "death" is what people fear most, euphemisms regarding "death" have correspondingly multiplied, such as "passed away, eternal rest, departed, ascended to heaven, attained immortality," and so forth.

[Reasons for Research]

Saussure (1985) pointed out in "Course in General Linguistics":

"Language is a system of signs. Signs are arbitrary by nature; however, due to the influence of superstitious thoughts, traditional culture, or other factors, people have long misunderstood the relationship between linguistic signs and what they represent. They developed a fear of incomprehensible mysterious forces. Particularly in ancient times, when people could not provide scientific explanations for natural phenomena, they believed that a certain inevitable relationship existed between language and things, thus regarding language as the thing itself."

In Chinese culture, notions like "living up to the name," "words becoming a curse," and "misfortune comes from the mouth" have always persisted. To pursue good fortune and avoid misfortune, or for fear of inviting untreatable illnesses, people use euphemisms—mostly related to "sex, aging, illness, and death."

In the Bible, there is also the concept that "the Word was God, and God was the Word." Language has always been viewed as the "discursive power" of those who hold authority; once spoken, it becomes an established fact. Thus, things humans cannot control, such as "sex, aging, illness, and death," are deliberately skirted around by us.

[Student Reflections]

Why has discussing "sex and death" become something unhealthy or taboo?

People do not fear death itself, but rather the fear of the "unknown" and "regret."

Many people avoid the topic of death, believing that talking about such things brings bad luck. Yet as society becomes more open, we see more and more regrets stemming from "it being too late"—too late to say, too late to express, too late to arrange. Rather than fearing an abrupt end, parents might do better to chat and interact with their children through everyday occurrences, reducing both their own and their children's fear of the unknown surrounding "death."

Instead, cherish the people and things around you and live each day to the fullest.

"Don't talk about sex; you'll understand when you grow up." While growing up, have you ever heard adults say this as well?

Sex is subjective, private, and filled with diverse and differing viewpoints; everyone has their own perspective. Yet no matter how hard one tries to evade it, sex still exists.

Our viewpoint is that no matter what the situation is, we will still use euphemisms for "sex, aging, illness, and death"—not because we are obstinate or stuck in our ways, but because we have thought about and discussed these matters, yet we still hold "respect" for the people around us and for society, expressing politeness within that culture.

"Sensitivity to language and thought lies in having thought through, discussed, reflected upon, and 'deliberately chosen' the words we speak before using them."