Taboo Language in Movies. Case Study: Teambuilding

Abstract

Taboo language on television has always had a strong impact on people, sometimes leading to rejection or negative reception from both critics and audiences. The present article aims to analyze how taboo language helps to structure the message in cinematography, depending on the communicative purpose and the impact dysphemisms – especially swear words – have on the target audience. This study particularly deals with the Romanian comedy Teambuilding and proposes a classification of swear words spoken in the film, highlighting the psychosocial functions of swearing. Our research is based on the theoretical support provided by socio-, pragma- and psycholinguistics.