西方礼仪文化unit 8 The Taboos in Western Culture and Etiquette.pptVIP

Lead-in Have you ever heard or read some stories about taboo in western culture? If yes, share your experience with your partners. Have you ever met some very embarrassing moment when you get along with Westerners because of your ignorance of taboo culture? 1. What is Taboo a universal concept a ritually sanctioned prohibition against contact with a thing, a person or an activity The term comes from the Tongan language, and appears in many. 1. What is Taboo In Polynesian cultures, a tabu (or tapu or kapu) often has specific religious associations. Captain James Cook introduced the word into English in 1777 after returning from Tonga, the place he named the Friendly Islands. In its current use in Tonga, the word tapu also means sacred or holy, often in the sense of being restricted or protected by custom or law. In the main island of the Kingdom of Tonga, where the greater portion of the population reside within the capital Nukualofa, the word is often appended to the end of Tonga, making the word Tongatapu, where local use it as Sacred South rather than forbidden south. 2. Taboos can include dietary restrictions (halal and kosher diets, religious vegetarianism, and the prohibition of cannibalism) restrictions on sexual activities and relationships (sex outside of marriage) restrictions of bodily functions (burping, state of genitalia such as circumcision or sex reassignment) exposure of body parts (ankles in the Victorian British Empire, womens faces in parts of the Middle East, nudity in the US) 2. Taboos can include restrictions on the use of offensive language. No taboo is known to be universal, but some (such as the cannibalism and incest taboos) occur in the majority of societies. Taboos may serve many functions, and often remain in effect after the original reason behind them has expired. Certain taboos lose their stinginess over periods of time. In the United States and western countries, most people are now more comfortable than before when they