A Gender-and Age-based Study of “Taboo Words” in the Speech of Persian Speakers

Language, as a means of communication, is continually influenced by our society, which is why the reflection of social variables in our everyday speech is inevitable. Among different social factors, sociolinguistic researchers have extensively investigated the correlation between “gender” and linguistic categories to examine the language features of men and women. Lakoff & Bucholtz (2004) suggested that women’s speech is characterized by linguistic features such as precise color terms, polite forms (e.g., indirect requests), tag questions, and empathic stress. In this regard, Holmes (2013, p. 308) claimed that many of the features identified as the characteristics of women’s language are positive politeness devices expressing solidarity.Politeness and “taboo words”, on the other hand, have been the focus of many sociolinguistic researches, such as Jay (2009), Batisttella (2005) and Wardhaugh’s (2006). Jay (2009, p. 156) claims that both “gender” and “age” can affect word choice and frequency; men swear more frequently in public than women. As for age, the swearing rate peak in the teenage years and declines thereafter (Jay, 2009, p. 156). The present research aims to conduct a gender- and age-based study of “taboo words” in the everyday speech of Persian-speaking men and women and to answer the following questions:How does “gender” affect the frequency and use of “taboo words” in the everyday speech of Persian speakers?How the “age” of Persian speakers affect the use of “taboo words”?Which types of “taboo words” do Persian speakers use in their speech?