This book offers a precise and rigorous analysis of the meanings of offensive words in Chinese. Adopting a semantic and cultural approach, the authors demonstrate how offensive words can and should be systematically researched, documented and accounted for as a valid aspect of any language. The book will be of interest to academics, practitioners and students of sociolinguistics, language and culture, linguistic taboo, Chinese studies and Chinese linguistics.
Adrian Tien was Associate Professor in Chinese Studies (Linguistics) at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. His co-authors, also at Trinity, are Lorna Carson, Associate Professor in Applied Linguistics and Director of the Trinity Centre for Asian Studies, and Ning Jiang, Assistant Professor in Chinese Studies.
This book offers a precise and rigorous analysis of the meanings of offensive words in Chinese. Adopting a semantic and cultural approach, the authors demonstrate how offensive words can and should be systematically researched, documented and accounted for as a valid aspect of any language. The book will be of interest to academics, practitioners and students of sociolinguistics, language and culture, linguistic taboo, Chinese studies and Chinese linguistics.
Adrian Tien
Swear words Taboos Semantic/cultural approach Language Chinese norms and values Chinese culture and society cursing offensive lexicon
“This book is a real tour de force, offering an in-depth and insightful account of offensive words in the Chinese language from multiple perspectives. In ‘mentioning unmentionables’ and deciphering their cultural scripts and variations, the book brings us closer to a deeper understanding of the relationship between language and culture. It is a must read for anyone who wants to find out how languages are used in the real cultural world.” (Zhu Hua, University of Birmingham, UK)
“In exquisite detail, and unfailingly cultured tones, the authors unpack the meaning content of Chinese offensive words, showing how the offensive so often inverts and reflects what is valued. Life and death, ghosts and animals, gender and sex, family and face, anger and the body, history, dialect variation and the internet: there is something here for everyone. A semantic and cultural tour de force!” (Cliff Goddard, Griffith University, Australia)
“A valuable and very welcome addition to the literature on swearing and taboo language. It provides the first systematic and comprehensive analysis of an under-researched context/language of swearing. It also develops significant theoretical insights into the relationship between taboo language and core aspects of culture, history, society and human interaction.” (Karyn Stapleton, Ulster University, UK and co-editor of Advances in Swearing Research: New languages and new contexts (2017))