Cursing, taboo and euphemism

Cursing is a universal and enduring human activity. As such, it provides a window into human ethology, psychology and culture. It is inherently related to taboo and its symbiotic other – euphemism. This chapter will begin with an overview of key scholarly insights on cursing, taboo and euphemism, from psychology, anthropology, linguistics and related fields, to be followed by a review of research on these phenomena in Chinese and brief suggestions for future research.