A Comparative Study Of Chinese And English Taboos And Euphemisms Under Stereotype

Stereotype is a fixed mode of thinking. It is an inevitable universal stereotype phenomenon. The concept of "stereotype" was first put forward by sociologist Lippmann from the United States in the book Public Opinion published as early as 1922. In the book, it is said that people will use a simplified method of cognition, with the same characteristics of a group of people or any ethnic, racial portrayed as a certain image. In that case, stereotype is formed inevitably. From a cognitive point of view, stereotype is one cognitive approach of cross-cultural communication. Based on a number of accurate observations, stereotype can reflect a certain degree of authenticity; help individuals understand the mainstream culture of different society. No one can understand all the members of the same or different culture thoroughly. Culture stereotype is an effective attribution approach of unfamiliar information; it can make de information more clearly. At the same time, culture stereotype's negative is also obvious; it comes mainly from the prejudice of other cultures under the long-term stereotype of local people.In this paper, by comparing studies of taboos and euphemisms in both Chinese and Western culture, these two special phenomenons originated roughly the same, and there are certain aspects in common, but under the influence of stereotype, there are so many differences. We find by our study that the essential differences of Chinese and English traditional cultures lie in two different cultural concepts: the harmony between man and nature in contrast with the distinguishing of man from nature, which foresee the basic differences in Chinese and English traditional cultures. These two different stereotypes determined the differences of taboos and euphemisms. Under the influence of ingroup-defined stereotype, the harmony between man and nature in contrast with the distinguishing of man from nature, which foresee the basic differences in Chinese and English traditional cultures. Harmony is the highest values of Chinese traditional culture. The distinguishing of man from nature starts the traditional of the Western culture. The connotations of the distinguishing are the distinguishing of man from nature, of body from soul, and of individual from society. This distinguishing has great influences on English traditional values, on its personal beliefs about life and on religious beliefs of the English and these influences are in due course reflected in English taboos and euphemisms. In nowadays cross-cultural communication, under the influence of outgroup-defined stereotype, the subject and expressions of taboos and euphemisms in China has the tendency of convergence with English. But their deep thinking stereotype is still relatively stable and keeps the independence of Chinese culture. Finally, by a comparative study of different linguistic behaviors in Chinese and traditional taboos and euphemisms under stereotype, we are able to have a deeper understanding of the national culture and a foreign culture and contribute to inter-cultural communication,...