Abstract
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).