Profanity across cultures: What is taboo and why profanity exists -- a presentation by Amanda Gillis-Furutaka of Kyoto Sangyo University
Profanity is expressed in many ways, both visually and auditorily. Its history is arguably as old as human communication itself. Profanity is a cultural construct and is culture-specific. Words, symbols, or gestures that are considered taboo change constantly. This workshop will explore profanity from past to present including: (1) Exploration of what is taboo in our own (English and non-English speaking) cultures. (2) An historical overview of changes in the use of profanity. An explanation of why we sometimes swear unintentionally, and insights into the extraordinary power of profanity. (3) Reflections on our attitudes towards profanity, and the directions in which profanity is evolving (or possibly declining) in our own cultures.
Amanda Gillis-Furutaka is from the UK and taught in a variety of countries before she made Japan her home. For the last 31 years, she has been teaching and researching at Kyoto Sangyo University. Her research interests reflect different stages of her life and have included global issues, teaching culture through films, bilingualism, international schooling, Extensive Reading, popular music, and most recently, brain science. She came across the fascinating topic of profanity when in search of the answer to why profanities burst unbidden from her mouth in certain situations when normally she is politely spoken. She would like to share what she has learned and invite discussion to broaden her understanding of the role of profanity in other English- and non-English-speaking cultures.
The meeting venue is a short 2-minute walk northeast of Hankyu Nishinomiya Kitaguchi station at the Nishinomiya Daigaku Koryu Center (ACTA East Tower 6F)
This event is organized by SIETAR Kansai, and co-sponsored by the Osaka and Nara Chapters of JALT.
An optional dinner party at a nearby restaurant will follow the meeting. Contact Donna Fujimoto at fujimotodonna@gmail.com by Sept 25 to sign up.
Tuesday, September 10, 2024 at 9:54AM