Lexicon
Vol 6, No 1 (2019)

Taboo Words in the TV Series Stranger Things

Theresia Ria Anjani Kurniawati (English Department, Universitas Gadjah Mada)
Tofan Dwi Hardjanto (English Department, Universitas Gadjah Mada)



Article Info

Publish Date
01 Apr 2019

Abstract

This study investigates taboo words produced by teenagers in the TV series entitled Stranger Things Season 2. It classifies taboo words into five referents, that is, mental, physical, religious, scatological, and sexual terms, and also categorizes them based on their functions. The data were taken from the subtitles of this TV series. The results show that the most frequently used taboo words are related to scatological terms with 55 (43%) occurrences. However, the teenage characters in the TV series rarely uttered taboo words which refer to mental and physical terms. Taboo words in the TV series were used for two main purposes, swearing and insulting. Swearing serves as a means to only relieve emotions, while insults are uttered to verbally attack the interlocutors. The findings suggest that the teenage characters use taboo words mostly for expressing their emotions rather than causing harm on their interlocutors.

Copyrights © 2019






Journal Info

Abbrev

lexicon

Publisher

Subject

Humanities Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media

Description

Lexicon, Journal of English Language and Literature, is an open access, peer reviewed, academic journal published by the English Department, Universitas Gadjah Mada in cooperation with the English Studies Association in Indonesia (ESAI). It is devoted primarily to the publication of studies on ...