ABSTRACT
Language users make use of several linguistic resources to make meanings regarding the world around them as well as others (EGGINS, [1994] 2004EGGINS, S. An Introduction to Systemic Functional Linguistic. London: Pinter, [1994] 2004., p. 11). The user then recognizes a specific code for each communicative situation and selectively adapts his/her options to the particular context. Against this background, this article sets out to investigate taboo language from the standpoint of Register variables, proposed by Halliday (1978HALLIDAY, M. A. K. Language as Social Semiotic: The Social Interpretation of Language and Meaning. London: Edward Arnold , 1978.; [1985] 2014HALLIDAY, M. A. K. Introduction to Functional Grammar. 4. ed. Revised by Christian M. I. M. Matthiessen. London; New York: Routledge, [1985] 2014. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203431269
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.4324/...
). On the one hand, we follow a theoretical approach by proposing an intersection between the register variables and the concept of markedness (HYMES, 1974HYMES, D. Foundations in Sociolinguistics. An Ethnographic Approach. New Jersey: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1974.). On the other hand, we make use of this proposal in a purpose-built corpus. Results show the predominance of the unmarked use of taboo in the corpus.
KEYWORDS:
taboo language; systemic-functional linguistics; markedness