Supervisors info:
Άννα Χατζηδάκη, Λέκτορας, Τμήμα Αγγλικής Γλώσσας και Φιλολογίας, Τομέας Γλώσσας και Γλωσσολογίας
Μαρία Σιδηροπούλου, Επίτιμη Καθηγήτρια, Τμήμα Αγγλικής Γλώσσας και Φιλολογίας, Τομέας Γλώσσας και Γλωσσολογίας
Ευφροσύνη Φράγκου, Λέκτορας, Τμήμα Αγγλικής Γλώσσας και Φιλολογίας, Τομέας Γλώσσας και Γλωσσολογίας
Summary:
Psycholinguistic research has found that taboo words, expressions, and themes can be expressed more easily in one’s second language (L2) compared to their native language (L1) and this has been interpreted as bilinguals having less emotional attachment to the L2 (e.g. Altarriba, 2003; Dewaele, 2004, 2008, 2013; Pavlenko, 2012). Furthermore, this is manifested in speakers experiencing high arousal effects when encountering taboo words in their L1, compared to their L2 (e.g. Harris et al., 2006; Janschewitz, 2008; Calvin-Harris, 2015; Ferré et al., 2017; Sulpizo, 2019; Dewaele et al., 2023; Tang et al., 2023). However, it seems that the cognate status of taboo words has not been accounted for, which is what the current study has sought to examine, serving as a counterexample to “The emotional contexts of learning theory” developed by Harris, Gleason and Aycicegi (2006). Essentially, this theory has been built around the claim that emotional attachment to taboo words is stronger in the L1 than in the L2, due to the contexts in which both languages have been acquired. Based on this theory, the following hypothesis was formulated: since it is the case that taboo words invoke higher arousal effects in the L1, and given the rapid processing of cognate words due to their semantic, morphological, and phonological similarities, when bilinguals encounter cognate taboo words, it is expected to find lower arousal effects when comparing cognate to non-cognate taboo words. To test this hypothesis, 6 neutral, 6 neutral cognate, 6 taboo, and 6 cognate taboo Greek words were selected for a word recognition task. Furthermore, this study also extended its research to the field of translation, attempting to identify if taboo or cognate taboo counterparts could be suggested for the translation of cognate taboo words, so as to maintain the impact of the source text. The hypothesis formed was that, if it were to be true that cognate taboo words evoke lower arousal effects to speakers, then when a translator comes across a cognate taboo word, they will translate it using its cognate counterpart to maintain the source word’s intended emotional impact. To test this hypothesis, 12 English sentences were created, with 12 Greek translations, providing both taboo and cognate taboo translation options, which were expected to be rated for their arousal. The results from both tasks showed significant differences between taboo and neutral words regarding both the reaction time to, and the arousal ratings for such words, confirming the differential status of taboo words vs. neutral words, replicating findings from previous studies. However, taboo cognate words were not processed differently from non-cognate taboo words, suggesting that it is the taboo status of words that determines the level of arousal a speaker will experience. Thus, by extension, when translating cognate taboo words, a translator could consider both its taboo and cognate taboo counterparts as translation options that would transfer the emotional impact of the source text to the target text.
Keywords:
Emotion, Taboo words, Cognate words, Visual word recognition, Bilingualism, Psycholinguistics, Translation
