Normbruch durch phonetische Interferenzen. Tabudiskurse vor dem Hintergrund der Sprechwirkungsforschung

When speaking of linguistic taboos in an intercultural context, one generally thinks of certain linguistic behavior that is sanctioned in one culture but not in the other. Seldom considered, however, is that not only “what” is said but also “how” it is said may be viewed as offensive. Along with the subject matter that is frowned upon in some cultures – money, sex, and death are typical examples – certain aspects of foreign-language accent and speech habits, must also be considered, since they evoke similar confusion and negative reactions. A more thorough investigation of phonetic interference as a specific cause of linguistic breaches requires that the taboo discourse be explored in the context of speech-effect research. After showing how prosodic errors occur and discussing their role in foreign-language learning, the author analyzes foreign-language speech habits and accents in terms of their culture-specific reception, noting that these phonetic elements represent sources of confusion that violate the linguistic norm and, in some cases, may be seen as taboo. The Italian accent in German as a foreign language serves as an example. The intention here is to show that it is an undervaluation of some forms of phonetic interference to view them as merely unavoidable attributes of foreign-language speakers. Rather, it is important to consider the possibility that they represent disruptive elements that can seriously compromise intercultural verbal communication – indeed, can cause a complete rupture of the same.