Taboo words - Taboo words

Japanese: 忌言葉∥忌詞 - いみことば

These are words that must not be spoken at certain times or places, or words used instead. Taboo words are divided into mountain words, offshore words, New Year's words, night words, and lucky words. Taboo words are a form of taboo in religious ceremonies, and are thought to have originated from the fact that not only are impure things and actions to be avoided when approaching gods or sacred places, but it is also taboo to say them out loud, and substitute words were used to express them. Mountain words are words that hunters and others are taboo to use in the mountains, and offshore words are words that sailors and fishermen are taboo to say at sea.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

特定の時や場所で口にしてはならない言葉やその代りに用いる言葉をいう。忌言葉は山言葉，沖言葉，正月言葉，夜言葉，縁起言葉などに分けられる。忌言葉は，宗教儀礼における〈忌〉の一つの形式で，神や神聖な場所に近づく際には不浄なものや行為を避けるだけでなく，それを言葉に出していうことも忌み，代用語を用いていい表したことから生まれたと考えられている。山言葉は猟師などが山中で使うのを忌む言葉であり，沖言葉は船乗りや漁師が海上で口にするのを忌む言葉をいう。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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