A study of appropriacy of cultural conceptualizations of taboo topics in EFL classes
A study of appropriacy of cultural conceptualizations of taboo topics in EFL classes

Summary/Abstract: The cultural practices related to local uses of certain topics are a socially communicative minefield for English learners. The purposes of this study were twofold. First, the cultural linguistics framework was employed to investigate the appropriateness of cultural conceptualizations (CCs) of taboo topics in Iranian EFL classes. A revealing result was that students do not feel embarrassed or uneasy about using CCs of taboo topics. Second, the study attempted to explore teachers’ and students’ perceptions about the effects of employing taboo topics in EFL classes by means of interviews. The results indicate that teachers need to be cognizant of the forbidden nature of these topics and approach them critically via CCs to avoid insulting students. They also provide a basis for pedagogical implications for instructors in Iran teaching English as a foreign language.

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