There are two channels of human communication: verbal and non-verbal。 According to the different communication tools, cross-cultural communication has two forms naturally: intercultural language communication and intercultural non-verbal communication。 And language communication can be pided into speech communication and written communication。 Speech communication is that people communicate by language (word combined by sound and meaning and grammar system)。 Written communication mainly refers to cross-cultural communication through writing, such as letter。 Nonverbal communication is the form of communication through body language mainly, for example: sign language, facial expression, eye contact, sitting posture, standing posture, gestures, and even people’s dress is also treated as one of non-verbal communication form。 Both intercultural language communication and intercultural nonverbal communication convey a great variety of information in their own way, and hope to be understood and accepted。

Increasingly frequent cross-cultural communication result from the continuous development of society, cultural factors in intercultural communication includes a nation's history, tradition, religions, values, social organization, customs, stage of development in which the society and social system。 However, in the specific cross-cultural communication activities, this or that obstacle must exist in people with different cultural backgrounds more or less, therefore, there are bound to have different taboo custom。

II。 Taboos Cultural Differences in the Cross-cultural Language Communication

Taboo is a very sensitive issue in intercultural communication。 Taboo involves not only verbal behavior, but also people’s gestures。 It is easy to hurt each other’s feelings, if you do not pay attention or do not respect their taboo。 As a custom, taboo has become the stable practice generally which people used to regulate their behavior in social life。 Taboos are often not implemented in isolation, but combined with superstition and pination and popular in a variety of festival life manners。 This is a kind of negative and preventive act of faith or method。

Reflected in the language is the language taboos, in short, it means that you can’t say certain words in some cases。 Taboo is a linguistic phenomenon, but also a social phenomenon; it is deeply rooted in the culture of a particular society; it is the linguistic refraction from the specific social and cultural fields; it is universal, while it has its cultural specificity。

Taboo is that the words which people consider that unfit to use under the influences of particular social values, ethics, or cultural practices and religious beliefs。 Different cultures nurture different cultural psychology, so we have to follow the principle of cooperation in language communication, to “sing different songs on different mountains。” It is a wise choice to abide the rule of language communication---“Do in Rome as Rome does” and kept oneself informed of what things are forbidden in the country one is entering。 Because the former can avoid unnecessary misunderstandings in communication, the latter can make communication more harmonious。

2。1 On Greetings

We all have the habit of greeting when people meet, but there is a great difference in greeting habits between Chinese and westerner。 

In China, “Have you eaten yet?” and “Where are you going?” are the most common greetings。 While in English, “How are you?” and “How do you do?” are the most common greetings。 From these simple greetings, we can find the difference between Chinese and Western。 Chinese greeting reflects the Chinese people “Food” traditional thinking, and in English, “Have you eaten yet?”, “Where are you going?” These two questions can’t be used for greeting。 Furthermore, it may cause communication conflicts。 If greeted with a Westerner in this way, Westerners might think the questioner want to invite him to dinner。 And if the questioner talks about nothing to do with eat topic, the hearer would be confused, could not understand, or misunderstand。  跨文化交际视角下中英禁忌习俗对比分析(2):http://www.youerw.com/yingyu/lunwen_99804.html