Abstract

Taboo words should be avoided in linguistic communication, but sometimes the use of taboo words is necessary. It may not block the communication but achieve some special effects that other words can’t achieve.
Based on the Theory of Adaptation, language use can be regarded as a process of the continuous making of linguistic choices. This process of choices is a continuous adaptation to the communicative context. That is to say, when making linguistic choices, the speaker has to adapt to these factors: language user, mental world, social world and physical world. Taking the above factors into consideration, the communicative goals and special pragmatic effects can be assured.      This thesis uses the Theory of Adaptation, making a study of the linguistic taboos in English films, The study f some successful taboo using examples in English movies, which have certain directive significance for the proper use of taboo in English and English language learning.

Keywords:  English taboo words    Adaptation theory   mental world   social world                                  
摘要

禁忌语是语言交际中应予以避讳的话语,但有时恰当地使用禁忌语是必要的,它不但不会引起交流障碍,反而还能达到常规用语无法企及的效果。
根据顺应理论,语言的使用可被视作一个选择语言的过程。该选择是一个不断顺应交际语境的过程,也就是说，在选择语言的过程中，说话者必须顺应这些因素：使用者、心理世界、社交世界和物理世界。将以上因素都考虑在内，交际目的和特殊的语用效果可以得到保证。本文运用顺应论对英文电影中的禁忌语做了分析，研究了英文电影中一些成功的禁忌语使用典例，为英语禁忌语的恰当使用和英语语言的学习有一定的指导意义。

关键词: 英语禁忌语；顺应论；物理世界；社会世界

Chapter One  Introduction
1.1 Background of the Thesis
Taboo is a common and complex cultural phenomenon in human society, the international academic generic name this cultural phenomenon as “taboo”. “Taboo” (Chen Yuan, 1983) comes from Tonga, which originally referred to the “sacred” or “untouchable”. Taboo is also a reflection of social and cultural differences of different countries, It is in close relation with our social and cultural structure，so it is essential for us to learn taboo and its proper using.
English movies, a popular form of mass culture, provide us an effective way to learn the real English language and culture. There are many taboo words in English movies. However, learners of China find it difficult to understand these taboo words in the films because of the cultural difference. The current studies of taboo are mainly from the perspective of anthology, psychology and sociology, so this thesis will explore English taboo words from the perspective of Adaptation, with the purpose of promoting intercultural communicative ability and attaining a better understanding of English taboo words.