Talk:Naming taboo

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This article covers only one example of naming taboos. Other cultures exist where it is taboo to say or write a person's real name. I have no example at the moment; maybe China is the only example of what we call a "developed culture" to function like this, but it is not the only one. / Habj 12:41, 9 August 2005 (UTC)

• took the words right out of my mouth! In the Sicilian article I have added in brackets "(cultura cinisi)" to allow for that exact possibility. Salutamu! --pippudoz - (waarom? jus'coz!) 03:07, 10 August 2005 (UTC)

Would the western custom that it is not polite, too informal or overly familiar to refer to people by their first names in certain situations, e.g. a student to a teacher (and sometimes the reverse), to a stranger, a client, be another variation/example of this Taboo? In fact thinking about the student/teacher example, it occurs to me that there are other examples where it seems to be inappropriate to use the first name within an inferior/superior relationship, employer/employee, Officer/regular, younger/elder, senior staff/junior staff, etc. Some of these may not always apply today or are lessened in importance by other considerations but I think there's definitely a case to be made that there is, and was to an even greater degree in the past, a name taboo surrounding inferior/superior relationships and social ranks. In some cases going beyond even the use of the first name, with special titles preferable to a name for general use, such as sir, ma'am, Majesty, master, etc Just a suggestion anyway. Number36 04:09, 20 January 2006 (UTC)

Check out Thou for some of the history of this in the history of English as well Sfnhltb 12:14, 20 March 2006 (UTC)

Also, see Tetragrammaton for the Taboo against speaking the name of god represented by 'YHWH' an interesting parallel to the built-in contradiction of the Chinese naming-taboo in that the original pronunciation may have been lost. Number36 04:40, 20 January 2006 (UTC)

One more thing, I'd be interested if there is any information or theories about the origin of the Chinese naming-taboo, seems odd that the sole function of a name should be reversed so completely. Number36 05:18, 20 January 2006 (UTC)

I can imagine it was started as a form of respect (given the types of people it applied to), i.e. by saying someones given name you are being familiar with/disrepectful to them (compare Japan, where even fairly close friends will often use family names with an appropriate honorific to speak to each other even in private). Just guessing though. Sfnhltb 12:11, 20 March 2006 (UTC)

The Chinese naming taboo also influenced Japan.--Jusjih 10:11, 29 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Yanomamo

Yanomamo also have naming taboos. They cannot speak the names of their deceased.

[edit] This is sociobiology?

I do not see how this article belongs into the category sociobiology. Do you? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 80.134.119.128 (talk) 11:02, 13 January 2007 (UTC).