THE CLASSIFICATION OF SEMIO-THEMATIC GROUPS OF TABOO WORDS IN ENGLISH

Abstract

The paper is an attempt to classify taboo words which occupy their important place in the vocabulary system of the language. A number of linguistic and extra-linguistic factors serve as a basis for the semantic differentiation of English taboo words. Our classification of English taboo words is based on 136 words found in the “Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary” (2005). Thirteen semantic groups have benn revealed which not only reflect the data of other researchers, but are also more complete and important from the point of view of differentiation boundaries.