语言禁忌与语用失误——关于中国大学生在语言禁忌方面跨文化语用失误的一项研究

摘要

With the globalization of the contemporary economy and society, intercultural communication becomes more and more frequent. Any ignorance of cultural customs and values, which are deeply contained in the language and culture of a nation, will probably cause misunderstandings, or even hostility between interlocutors. Language is a part of culture and also the carrier of culture. We need the help of language to spread and pass on culture; so only correctness is not enough in learning a language, we need to know the cultural background of that language. In daily communication, we can't talk whatever topics or use any words we think of; some taboo topics and taboo words should be avoided, for if we disregard it, we will meet obstacles or fail to communicate in intercultural communication. Thus, it is necessary to know language taboos in Chinese and Western cultures and also the pragmatic failures caused by misusing language taboos. This thesis deals with the issue of language taboo and cultural pragmatic failures of Chinese students. After a discussion of theoretical knowledge about pragmatic failure and language taboo, and critical review of previous studies in this topic, a questionnaire about language taboos was given to 82 students and a small group interview to 20 students. The results indicate that Chinese students make pragmatic failure easily in language taboos, and students' feedback in taboo words is worse than that in taboo topics. Then based on the collected results of students' pragmatic competence in taboos, the reasons for these pragmatic failures are analyzed and the implications for English language teaching and learning are discussed.

目录

Abstract

Acknowledgements

Chapter One Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

1.2 Purpose and Significance of the Study

1.3 Organization of the Thesis

Chapter Two Literature Review

2.1 The Nature of Pragmatic Failure

2.1.1 Pragmatics

2.1.2 Pragmatic Failure-Pragmalinguistic Failure and Sociopragmatic Failure

2.2 Historical Overview: General Studies on Pragmatic Failure

2.2.1 Studies of Pragmatic Failure Abroad

2.2.2 Studies of Pragmatic Failure in China

2.3 Language Taboo and Pragmatic Failure

2.3.1 Definition of Language Taboo

2.3.2 Characteristics of Language Taboo

2.3.3 Kinds of Taboos in English and Chinese Cultures

2.3.4 Language Taboos and Pragmatic Failures

Chapter Three Causes of Pragmatic Failure

3.1 Cognitive Approach to Pragmatic Failure

3.1. 1 Prototype Theory

3.1.2 Pragmatic Failure and Mental Representation

3.2 Theory of Transfer

3.2.1 Interlanguage

3.2.2 Language Transfer

3.2.3. Culture Transfer

3.3 Teaching-Induced Error

Chapter Four A Study of Chinese Students' Pragmatic Failure in Language Taboo

4.1 Subjects

4.2 Method

4.3 Form and Content of the Questionnaire

4.4 Procedure

4.5 Results and Discussion

4.5.1. Results of Part One: Pragmatic Failure in Taboo Topics

4.5.2 Results of Part Two: Pragmatic Failure in Taboo Words

4.5.3 Results of Part Three

4.6 Interview

Chapter Five Implications for Language Teaching and Learning

Chapter Six Conclusion

References

Appendix Ⅰ Questionnaire

Appendix Ⅱ Results of the Questionnaire

Appendix Ⅲ Topics in Three Chinese Speaking Textbooks