世界各地的禁忌：英語精讀講義

The word taboo originates from a mealtime in 1777, 片語搭配

「禁忌」（taboo）一詞源於1777年的一次用餐，

when British explorer James Cook invited a Tongan tribe to sit down with him and enjoy the food.

當時英國探險家詹姆士·庫克邀請一個東加部落與他一起坐下享用美食。

The tribe refused,

部落拒絕了，

telling Cook it was taboo for them to do so. 文法

告訴庫克這樣做對他們來說是禁忌。

Startled Cook,

庫克嚇了一跳，

probably feeling a little taken aback, 慣用語

可能感到有些錯愕，

asked what taboo meant.

詢問禁忌是什麼意思。

And after a little time with some help from the tribesmen,

在部落成員的幫助下，花了一點時間後，

he found out it meant something that was forbidden, 片語動詞

他發現它的意思是某種被禁止的、

inviolable,

神聖不可侵犯的，

or even cursed.

甚至是被詛咒的東西。

Today we all live with our own cultural taboos.

如今，我們都生活在各自的文化禁忌中。

For example,

例如，

the average American is not likely to make a steak out of his dearly departed grandmother,

普通美國人不太可能把剛離世的親愛祖母做成牛排，

but for the Korowai tribe in Western New Guinea,

但對於西新幾內亞的科羅威部落來說，

consuming the carcass of the deceased is not a social faux pas. 用詞

食用死者的遺體並不是什麼社交失禮。

It's a right.

這是一項權利。

Today,

今天，

we are going to explore our cultural differences in this episode of the Infographic Show,

我們將在這期《Infographic Show》中探索我們的文化差異，

Taboos Around the World.

本期主題是《世界各地的禁忌》。

Don't forget to subscribe and click the bell button

別忘了訂閱並開啟小鈴鐺按鈕，

so that you can be part of our notification squad.

這樣你就能加入我們的通知小分隊啦。

Let's start by traveling to the USA 表達脈絡

讓我們從前往美國開始，

and looking at a controversial taboo that persists today.

看看一個至今依然存在的、備受爭議的禁忌。

Having an intimate relationship with our own family member is seen as an immutable no-no in just about every culture, 用詞

與自己的家庭成員發生親密關係在幾乎所有文化中都被視為不可動搖的禁忌，

not only because we deem it unethical, 文法

不僅因為我們認為這不道德，

but also because the offspring of such a relationship is at risk of being genetically flawed. 片語搭配

也因為這種關係的後代有遺傳缺陷的風險。

In the USA,

在美國，

one famous incestuous relationship happened quite recently,

最近就發生了一起著名的亂倫關係，

and that was with the Mamas and the Papas band leader John Phillips.

那就是「媽媽與爸爸」樂團（The Mamas and the Papas）的隊長約翰·菲利普斯。

He started having an intimate relationship with his own daughter,

他開始與自己的親生女兒發生親密關係，

Mackenzie.

麥肯齊。

This was quite a shock when the story came out in 2009, 片語動詞

2009年這件事被曝光時，引起了相當大的轟動，

especially as his daughter told the press she had aborted his baby.

尤其是他的女兒告訴媒體她拿了他的孩子。

In most US states,

在美國的大多數州，

that would be a crime punishable with a prison sentence,

這將是可判處監禁的罪行，

although in New Jersey an incestuous relationship is legal.

儘管在紐澤西州，亂倫關係是合法的。

Marriage for the couple is not.

但這對伴侶結婚並不合法。

Speaking of genetic flaws, 表達脈絡

說到遺傳缺陷，

the author of On the Origin of Species,

《物種起源》的作者，

Charles Darwin,

查爾斯·達爾文，

married his first cousin.

娶了他的表妹。

They had 10 kids together,

他們一共生了10個孩子，

and three of them died very young.

其中3個在很小的時候就夭折了。

In the UK,

在英國，

incest is illegal,

亂倫是非法的，

but only for close family.

但僅限於直系親屬。

What Darwin did then would be legal today in the UK. 文法

達爾文當時的所作所為在今天的英國是合法的。

Staying in America for a moment, 表達脈絡

讓我們繼續把目光停留在美國一會兒，

we know that when the index finger is pointed at someone,

我們知道，用食指指著別人，

it is almost universally seen as rude,

幾乎被全世界公認為是粗魯的，

and that's probably due to the export of Hollywood films.

這可能歸功於好萊塢電影的輸出。

Outside of the USA,

但在美國之外，

it's more complex.

情況就複雜多了。

In Asia,

在亞洲，

holding up the four finger and index finger with the palm turned inwards is seen as a sign of cuteness,

舉起食指和中指，手心向內，被視為可愛的標誌，

but in the UK,

但在英國，

it's liable to get you into a fight. 講解

這很容易讓你捲入一場鬥毆。

This is because it was the sign English archers of the past showed to their French rivals to prove they still had two fingers.

因為這是過去英國弓箭手向法國對手展示的標誌，證明他們還有兩根手指。

The French would cut them off if they captured the archers, 片語動詞

如果法國人俘虜了這些弓箭手，就會把他們的手指砍掉，

so they couldn't use them again to pull the string on the archer's bow.

這樣他們就不能再用手指拉弓了。

The sign now in the UK is the equivalent of giving the middle finger in the US. 片語搭配

在如今的英國，這個手勢相當於在美國比中指。

In most parts of Asia,

在亞洲的大部分地區，

don't point at anyone,

不要用手指著任何人，

as it's seen as impolite,

因為這被認為是不禮貌的，

while a thumb up gesture in Israel,

而在以色列，比讚的手勢，

where hitching rides is common, 片語搭配

雖然搭便車很常見，

is offensive.

卻是具有冒犯性的。

It's the same throughout much of the Middle East.

整個中東地區也大致如此。

Imagine giving the finger to every car that passes you. 慣用語

想像一下對每一輛路過你的車比中指的感覺。

Let's now look more at Asia,

現在讓我們把目光更多地轉向亞洲，

where taboos are perhaps more prevalent.

這裡的禁忌可能更為普遍。

In some parts of Asia,

在亞洲的一些地區，

pointing at the soles of your feet at someone is seen as extreme rudeness

把腳底板對著別人被視為極其粗魯的行為，

and could easily get you into trouble. 片語搭配

很容易讓你惹上麻煩。

This is also true in Russia,

在俄羅斯也是如此，

as well as parts of the Middle East.

還有中東的部分地區。

That's why when George W. Bush almost took a shoe to the head from an angry Iraqi journalist,

這就是為什麼當喬治·W·布希差點被一位憤怒的伊拉克記者用鞋子砸中頭部時，

it was more symbolic than it was an act of violence.

這更多是一種象徵意義，而不是暴力行為。

The shoe was a dirty weapon aimed at the highest and most esteemed point of the body.

鞋子是一種骯髒的武器，瞄準了身體最高、最受尊敬的部位。

In countries such as Thailand and China,

在泰國和中國等國家，

putting your feet up on a chair,

把腳放在椅子上，

and certainly any place near to where someone might put their head,

尤其是任何靠近別人可能放頭部的地方，

is seen as very disrespectful.

都被視為非常不尊重人。

The foot in most of Asia is viewed as dirty, 文法

在亞洲大部分地區，腳被認為是骯髒的，

and the head is seen as sacred.

而頭部被視為神聖的。

If you are planning to travel to Asia,

如果你計畫去亞洲旅行，

bear this mind,

請牢記這一點，

lest you rankle the locals. 文法

以免惹惱當地人。

Okay,

好吧，

so the rude American may have upset his Asian host with his filthy big feet,

也許粗魯的美國人用他骯髒的大腳惹惱了他的亞洲主人，

but what about the noise that guy makes when he eats?

但那傢伙吃東西時發出的聲音又該怎麼說呢？

Most cultures accept that eating quietly with your mouth closed is just plain good etiquette 片語搭配

多數文化都認同，閉著嘴安靜地吃東西就是最基本的禮儀，

if you are older than three years old.

只要你超過三歲。

Not so much in China, 表達脈絡

但在中國就不完全是這樣了，

where eating at a restaurant can sound like a chorus of cows chomping down on wet grass. 講解

在那裡的餐廳吃飯，聽起來可能像一群牛在咀嚼濕草。

Well,

那麼，

to the Chinese,

對華人來說，

the sound emitting from your mouth is a sign of how much you appreciate the food.

嘴裡發出的聲音是你對食物有多欣賞的標誌。

It's like saying,

就像在說，

"That's delicious,"

「太好吃了，」

without the words.

雖然沒有用語音表達。

The Chinese slurp,

華人吃飯會發出聲音，

and the Filipinos often smack their lips. 片語搭配

菲律賓人也經常吃出聲音。

If it bothers you,

如果這讓你覺得困擾，

just remember someone is having a good time.

只要記住有人正吃得很開心就行了。

In Asia,

在亞洲，

how you eat,

你的吃相、

what you wear,

穿著、

your body language,

肢體語言，

and even how you write has to be taken into consideration. 片語搭配

甚至寫字的方式都必須考慮到。

In parts of Asia,

在亞洲的一些地區，

be careful when you write something down for someone,

當你寫字給別人時要小心，

as writing in red ink is seen as a curse. 文化背景

因為用紅墨水寫字被視為一種詛咒。

This is because in some Asian cultures,

這是因為在一些亞洲文化中，

red ink was reserved for messages applying to the deceased.

紅墨水是專門用來寫給死者的訊息的。

Filling in an official form in red, 片語動詞

用紅色填寫官方表格，

maybe even an arrival card,

甚至是一張入境卡，

in countries such as Taiwan, Korea, Japan, or Thailand

在台灣、韓國、日本或泰國等國家

is seen as bad form, 用詞

都被認為是不好的舉止，

and perhaps a very bad omen.

或許還是個非常壞的預兆。

Red is reserved for the dead in an official environment. 文化背景

在官方環境中，紅色是留給死者的。

As for what you eat,

至於吃什麼，

some Asians chow down on animals that are strictly taboo foods in the West. 片語動詞

一些亞洲人會吃在西方絕對屬於禁忌食物的動物。

While cannibalism is downright taboo pretty much everywhere in the world, 片語搭配

雖然同類相食在世界各地幾乎都是徹頭徹尾的禁忌，

there are certain animals cultures put on the table that cause outcries in the Western media.

但有些文化餐桌上的某些動物卻在西方媒體中引起了強烈抗議。

The most infamous is the consumption of dog meat,

其中最聲名狼藉的是吃狗肉，

something it's thought around 5 to 30% of South Koreans have done.

據認為大約5%到30%的韓國人都吃過。

According to one BBC story,

根據BBC的一篇報導，

a bowl of dog soup will set you back about $10 in South Korea. 片語動詞

在韓國，一碗狗肉湯大約要花你10美元。

Dog is also eaten in China, Vietnam, Nigeria, and Indonesia.

中國、越南、奈及利亞和印尼也吃狗肉。

In 2014,

2014年，

Newsweek reported hundreds of thousands of people in Switzerland eat cat and dog meat,

《新聞週刊》報導稱，數十萬瑞士人吃貓肉和狗肉，

adding that it's a specialty dish at Christmas.

並補充說這是聖誕節的特色菜。

The French have a penchant for cooked horse, 用詞

法國人偏愛熟馬肉，

the Thais have been known to eat chicken embryos on a stick, 文法

泰國人因吃串烤雞胚胎而聞名，

and deep-fried guinea pig as a specialty has moved from South America and is now eaten in the USA.

而作為特色菜的油炸天竺鼠已經從南美洲傳入，現在在美國也有人吃。

For around $45,

花大約45美元，

you can try some at the Urubamba restaurant in New York.

你就可以在紐約的Urubamba餐廳品嚐到它。

If cute rodent isn't your thing, 慣用語

如果你不喜歡可愛的齧齒動物，

the restaurant also offers veal heart,

這家餐廳還提供小牛心、

cow foot stew, and rabbit.

燉牛蹄和兔肉。

Taboos don't only relate to what you eat, 文法

禁忌不僅關乎你吃什麼，

but how you eat.

還關乎你怎麼吃。

In many Western countries,

在許多西方國家，

it's polite to clean your plate of food,

把盤子裡的食物吃光是禮貌的，

even if you are not so keen on the cuisine. 片語搭配

即使你不太喜歡這種菜餚。

Leaving food might mean you didn't like it,

剩下食物可能意味著你不喜歡它，

and it's also seen as being wasteful.

也被認為是浪費。

Well,

好吧，

if you do that in China, India, or Afghanistan,

如果你在中國、印度或阿富汗這麼做，

one thing is going to happen.

會發生一件事。

Your plate will be refilled.

你的盤子會被重新裝滿。

It's seen as polite to always leave a little,

總是留一點食物被認為是禮貌的，

and a bit greedy or expectant to clean your plate as it's saying,

而把盤子吃光則顯得有點貪婪或有所期待，因為這就像在說，

"Give me more."

「再給我點。」

This has certainly led to situations in which polite Westerners have made themselves almost sick by politely eating up what's offered, 講解

這無疑導致了一些情況，即禮貌的西方人為了禮貌地吃光提供的食物而幾乎吃撐到吐，

only for their guests to think they are absolute gluttons, 文法

結果他們的主人卻認為他們絕對是吃貨，

but obliged to fill the plate again.

但又不得不再次裝滿盤子。

Do some taboos carry across every culture?

有沒有跨越所有文化的禁忌呢？

Insulting someone's mother or father is taboo pretty much worldwide for obvious reasons,

出於顯而易見的原因，侮辱某人的父母在世界各地幾乎都是禁忌，

but in some cultures even mentioning parents in a negative light can get you into trouble or even killed. 慣用語

但在一些文化中，甚至以負面的眼光提到父母都可能讓你惹上麻煩，甚至被殺。

In Russia,

在俄羅斯，

a curse with a parent in it is seen as the worst thing you could possibly say.

帶有父母字眼的咒罵被認為是你可能說出的最糟糕的話。

In Madagascar,

在馬達加斯加，

children belonging to the Antandroy tribe are not even allowed to call their father by his name. 片語搭配

屬於安坦德羅部落的兒童甚至不被允許直呼他們父親的名字。

In some Hindu families,

在一些印度教家庭中，

even the wives of husbands are not permitted to call the man by his name,

甚至丈夫的妻子也不被允許直呼丈夫的名字，

although progressive Hindus see this as antiquated and patriarchal. 用詞

儘管進步的印度教徒認為這過時且父權至上。

Some Westerners may find that strange,

一些西方人可能會覺得這很奇怪，

but in most Western countries it's taboo for children to be on first name terms with their parents. 片語搭配

但在大多數西方國家，孩子直呼父母的名字也是禁忌。

The curse mother plus expletive is almost universal in language.

帶有母親加髒話的髒話在語言中幾乎是通用的。

Surely public pooping is universally taboo?

那麼在公共場所大便肯定是普遍的禁忌了吧？

In developed nations,

在已開發國家，

yes,

是的，

but the BBC reported in 2015 that open defecation in India was still a problem, 用詞

但BBC在2015年報導稱，在印度隨地便溺仍然是一個問題，

mostly due to the lack of toilets.

主要是由於缺乏廁所。

French philosopher Michel de Montaigne upset his fellow highbrow intellectuals because he liked to discuss flatulence,

法國哲學家米歇爾·德·蒙田惹惱了他的那些高知菁英同行，因為他喜歡討論腸胃脹氣，

aka passing gas, 用詞

又名放屁、

farting, cutting the cheese.

排氣、切起司（放屁的俚語）。

He even wrote a treatise on farting and other bodily functions, 用詞

他甚至寫了一篇關於放屁和其他身體機能的論文，

once saying, "Kings and philosophers defecate,

曾說過：「國王和哲學家都要排便，

and so do ladies." 文法

貴婦也一樣。」

In spite of his entreaties to help make the human race comfortable with such bodily taboos, 文法

儘管他懇求幫助人類對這種身體禁忌感到坦然，

public farting doesn't go down well in most cultures. 慣用語

但在大多數文化中，公開放屁並不受歡迎。

Well, apparently if you are invited to eat in an Inuit household,

不過，顯然如果你被邀請到因紐特人家裡吃飯，

you can show your appreciation for the meal by letting one rip post prandial. 慣用語

你可以在飯後放個響屁來表達你對這頓飯的讚賞。

Even though we fart on average about 14 times a day,

儘管我們平均每天放屁大約14次，

we are usually discreet about it. 用詞

我們通常都會小心翼翼。

Not so much for the Yanomami tribe in South America,

但對南美洲的亞諾馬米部落來說並非如此，

who are said to fart as a greeting. 文法

據說他們把放屁作為一種問候。

Taboo or not taboo, 文化背景

禁忌還是不禁忌，

that is the question.

這是一個問題。

We might do well to remember that our way of living is not the right way, 講解

我們最好記住，我們的生活方式並不是唯一正確的方式，

but a way.

而只是一種方式。

Montaigne believed we should be curious about our taboos,

蒙田認為我們應該對我們的禁忌保持好奇，

deconstruct them,

解構它們，

and at times get over them. 片語動詞

有時也要克服它們。

Then again, 表達脈絡

話又說回來，

how would you feel if your grandad turned up to Thanksgiving dinner 講解

如果你的爺爺出現在感恩節晚餐上，

with his new farting fiance,

帶著他那愛放屁的新未婚妻，

who was actually his cousin,

而她實際上是他的表妹，

with a gift of dog and cat stew,

並帶了一份貓狗燉肉作為禮物，

and an appetite for dinner destruction?

還帶著摧毀晚餐的胃口，你會作何感想？

Could you handle that?

你能應付得了嗎？

Let us know in the comments.

請在留言區告訴我們。

And please tell us about any unusual taboos in your country.

也請告訴我們你們國家任何不尋常的禁忌。

If you liked this video,

如果你喜歡這部影片，

be sure to check out our other video called

一定要去看看我們的另一部影片，名為

What a Dollar Gets You Around the World.

《一美元在世界各地能買到什麼》。

Thanks for watching,

感謝觀看，

and as always,

像往常一樣，

don't forget to like, share, and subscribe.

別忘了按讚、分享和訂閱。

See you next time.

下次見。