台灣國語禁忌語及其相關委婉語的發展歷程

The Development of Taboo Expressions and Their Euphemisms in Taiwan Mandarin

余承勳(Chen-hsun Yu)

指導教授 ： 廖秀娟

國立清華大學/人文社會學院/語言學研究所/碩士(2009年)

https://doi.org/10.6843/NTHU.2009.00747

摘要

本論文旨在探討台灣國語中禁忌語及其相關的委婉語的發展歷程。在本論文裡，筆者討論了以下四類的禁忌語及其相關的委婉語：(1)與性器官或性行為相關的詞語，(2)與排泄物相關的詞語，(3)與命名和稱謂相關的詞語，以及(4)與死亡相關的詞語。
本論文在不同類別的禁忌語和委婉語中，分別討論了幾個特定禁忌語的發展過程及其相關的委婉語。首先，在「性器官或性行為」這個類別的詞語中，我們探討了三個特定的詞語及其相關的委婉語的發展歷程：(1)幹，(2)雞掰，及(3)爛/濫、白爛/濫。在「排泄物」這個類別的詞語中，我們探討了兩個特定的詞語及其相關的委婉語的發展歷程：(1)洨，及(2)與肛門的排泄物有關的詞語。在「命名和稱謂」這個類別的詞語中，我們探討了兩組特定的詞語及其相關的委婉語的發展歷程：(1)同性戀，及(2)台灣原住民。最後，在「死亡」這個類別的詞語中，我們探討了與死及喪禮/喪事有關的禁忌語及其委婉語。
雖然在文獻中已經有許多學者探討過中文裡的禁忌語及其相關的委婉語，然而其發展過程卻較少被提及(Sung 1979, H. Chen 1987, Huang and Tian 1990, Shen 1996, Y. Chang. 1997, Tsao and Liu 2003, Y. Liu 2006 等)。所以，此論文主要探討不同類別禁忌語及其相關的委婉語的發展過程。希望透過此論文的研究可以使我們對禁忌語與委婉語的使用有全面性的了解。
綜合本篇論文的研究結果，我們有以下五個發現：第一，根據禮貌理論(Politeness Theory)，使用委婉語取代禁忌語是表現禮貌行為的主要方式之一。第二，在台灣國語中禁忌語及其相關的委婉語的發展歷程中，有些詞語的轉變可以被視為語意與詞彙改變(semantic and lexical change)的範例。第三，有些用來迴避使用禁忌語的詞語會產生幽默效應(humorous effect)。第四，台灣國語中為了迴避使用禁忌語，會使用以下幾種策略：(1)替代(substitution)，(2)刪略(omission)，(3)含糊(ambiguity)，(4)暗示(implication)，及(5)比喻(metaphor)等。第五，有些台灣國語中的詞語被認定為禁忌語主要是因為與他們相關的詞語在台語（或英語）中為禁忌語。

關鍵字

禁忌語 ； 委婉語 ； 台灣中文

並列摘要

This thesis aims to examine the development of taboo expressions and their euphemisms in Taiwan Mandarin. Various categories of taboo expressions and their related euphemisms in Taiwan Mandarin are discussed: (1) expressions related to organs and acts of sex; (2) expressions related to bodily effluvia; (3) expressions related to naming and addressing; (4) expressions related to death.
Specific case studies of different categories of taboo expressions and their eupheumisms are presented in this thesis. First, three cases related to expressions of organs and acts of sex are discussed: (1) 幹 gàn; (2) 雞掰 ji-bai; (3) 爛/濫 làn and 白爛/濫 bái-làn. Second, two cases related to expressions of bodily effluvia are analyzed: (1) 洨 xiáo; and (2) expressions related to effluvia from anus. Third, two cases related to expressions of naming and addressing are examined: (1) homosexuality; (2) Taiwanese aborigines. Finally, expressions related to death and funerals and their related euphemisms are discussed.
A number of scholars have dealt with the interaction between Chinese culture and (the types of) taboo expressions and their related euphemisms in Chinese languages (e.g. Sung 1979, H. Chen 1987, Huang and Tian 1990, Shen 1996, Y. Chang 1997, Tsao and Liu 2003, Y. Liu 2006, and so on). However, they have barely touched upon issues related to the development of taboo expressions and their euphemisms. Thus, this study focuses on the development of taboo expressions and their euphemisms in Taiwan Mandarin in order to bridge the gap in the literature.
By studying the development of taboo expressions and their euphemisms in Taiwan Mandarin, some observations can be made. First, according to Politeness Theory, the use of euphemisms to replace taboo expressions is a main verbal play of politeness. Second, the development of some taboo expressions and their euphemisms in Taiwan Mandarin can be considered as instances of semantic and lexical change. Third, some expressions used for taboo avoidance may bring about a humorous effect. Fourth, various kinds of strategies are employed in order to avoid the use of taboo expressions, e.g. substitution, ambiguity, omission, implication, metaphor, and so on. Fifth, some words in Taiwan Mandarin are considered as taboo expressions because of the taboo status of their related words in Southern Min (or in English).

並列關鍵字

taboo expression ； euphemism ； Taiwan Mandarin

參考文獻

Mandzhiev, Baatr. 2008. A comparative study of taboos and euphemisms in Chinese and Kalmyk languages. MA thesis, Fu Jen University.

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Allan, Keith, and Kate Burridge. 2006. Forbidden words: Taboo and the censoring of language. New York: Cambridge University Press.

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Blust, Robert. 2009. Austronesian languages. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.