时间：11月24日 星期一晚上7:00-8:30

地点：丽泽B204

题目：Taboo Language

演讲人：Mr. Jason Cullen

Jason Cullen comes from Janesville, Wisconsin in the USA. He holds a BA in Comparative Literature and Russian Language & Literature, an MA in Central Eurasian Studies (with particular emphasis on Silk Road languages and history), and an MA in Applied English Linguistics. He has been teaching ESOL for twenty years both at universities in the USA and overseas.

演讲内容简介：

"Why do languages have words that are ‘unacceptable’ in most contexts? What is the point of having words that are supposedly best avoided?

Whether you are learning English or Japanese or Portuguese, there are certain terms that are considered ‘taboo’, not only in the classroom, but in many social situations. However, they still exist. And they command attention.

Where do they come from? How did they come to be the way they are? And what ‘need’ or use do they fulfil?

We will explore the scientific literature on taboo words—especially the linguistics, cognitive neuroscience, and history of such expressions—to better understand those words which are so ‘popular’ and yet so reviled."