Routledge Dictionary of Language and Linguistics.pdf

A-Z 1173Ttaboo word [Polynesian tabu ‘inviolable,consecrated’]A term that is avoided for religious, political, or sexual reasons and is usually replaced bya euphemism, e.g. rest room or bathroom for toilet.ReferencesEckler, A.R. 1986/7. A taxonomy for taboo-word studies. Maledicta 9.201–3.Steiner, F. 1967. Taboo. Harmondsworth.Tournier, P. 1975. The naming of persons. New York.Ullmann, S. 1962. Semantics: an introduction to the science of meaning. Oxford.euphemism, tabooizationtabooizationPhenomenon in numerous language communities (e.g. in Africa, Australia, Oceania, andthe Americas) where the use of certain word s is avoided. One typical example is thename of a deceased person (and all similar-sounding words); rather than using the word,paraphrases or borrowings from other languages are used. This leads to rapid changes inthe vocabulary and makes it difficult to study genetic affiliations.ReferencesDixon, R.M.W. 1980. The languages of Australia. Cambridge.Elmendorf, W.W. 1951. Word taboo and lexical change in Coast Salish. IJAL 17:205–8.Liedtke, S. 1994. Pointing with lips and name taboo in Native American cultures. LDDS 13.Suarez, J.A. 1971. A case of absolute synonyms. IJAL 37:3.192–5.