loadingThe Comparison and Analysis of Taboo in numbers Between
Chinese and Western Cultures
By 祁萍
Language, as the carrier of culture, is created during the process of human beings? productive labor and serves as the tool of communication to convey the message between people. However, it has been endowed with magic and power in particular language acts. As the old saying goes, troubles come out of the tongue. Superstitious people think that the language itself can bring about fortune or misfortune so that taboos to restrict the use of language are created. Anyone who violates them will get punishment, whereas those who faithfully obey the restrictions of language taboo will get protection. Furthermore, linguistic taboos change with the development of society.
Linguistic taboo exists in almost every aspect of people?s life and is a universal social phenomenon in China and Western countries. Both Chinese and Western cultures are in agreement about linguistic taboos such as pronunciation taboo, and vocabulary taboo. However, influenced by different cultural backgrounds, ideologies and the concepts of value, Chinese and English linguistic taboos also have differences in taboo subjects, taboo numbers and names.
In China, the number “4” and the word “死 (death)” almost sound the same. People do not like the number “4”, because it reminds them of “death”, misfortune and unluckiness. They never send their friends presents with 4 or sound like 4. Nor arrange people to check in hotel with the number “4”,”14”,”44”. Among old people, they think “73” and “84” are two key ages. If you are 73 or 84 years old, you will die before the King of hell invites you. So many old people avoid talking their exact ages.
While in western countries, one of the most influential taboo numbers is 13. According to the story of “The last supper”: Judas, the person who betrayed Jesus, sat in the No.13 chair. Therefore, number thirteen is universally considered to be unlucky. No door?s number is thirteen; no hotel has the No.13 Room; they don?t allow 13 people have dinner together. All in a word, they avoid number thirteen in every aspect. Ordinary people feel upset on 13th in every month. Therefore, thirteen became a taboo word in western countries.
Another number concerning taboo in western is Friday. It also has long been considered as an unlucky day. “This taboo term affects people probably not only because they believe that Jesus Christ was put to death on the cross
on Friday, but also because Friday is for many years the day of execution of criminals, commonly called “hangman?s day”.
In foreign diplomatic region, people of different religious beliefs all have some taboo in numbers. For instance, the catholic and the Christian are very taboo about the number “thirteen” and “Friday”. They think that both the number and the data are the symbol of misfortune and catastrophe. In foreign diplomatic activities, things relevant with “thirteen” and “Friday” should be avoided. Let alone arranging important government affairs, business and social activities on that day.
Another striking contrast is that Chinese people like even numbers. For example, they say “好事成双”，“成双成对”。Chinese people especially like the even number “6” and “8”. The saying “六六大顺” can prove it .168,on the way to success. The number 8 is similar in sound with “发”. But in western countries, they like odd numbers. “The Roman poet Virgil says, ?The god delights in an odd number?. In Shakespeare?s play Merry wives of Windsor, Falstaff says, ?Good luck lies in odd numbers—? They say, ?there is divinity in odd numbers, either in nativity, chance or death.?” communications and at the same time achieve better communicational effects
By comparison, we can find that both Chinese and Western taboos reflect people?s psychology for good will, for safety and fortune and pleasantness. The Chinese and Western people restrict their words and deeds through taboos, trying to keep a harmonious relationship between human and nature, or between people and society. Although the traditional linguistic taboos contain superstitions, ignorance and negative elements, the new taboos on racism bear positive features. They are a reflection of people?s pursuit of freedom and equality. However, number taboo is only one aspect of linguistic taboos. If you want to communicate with the Western people smoothly, you should learn more about taboo. Using euphemism and having a good knowledge of the taboo culture are two effective ways of avoiding taboo. The more you know about linguistic taboos, the better you will improve your communicative competence, reduce miscommunications and conflicts in cross-culture communications and at the same time achieve better communicational effects.
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