to reevaluate the way in which taboo language is handled in the ESL classroom in the globalizing world. iii for those who have supported me yesterday, today, and tomorrow, for my loving parents who believe in my ventures even if they are not always understood, with special thanks to Marie-Charlotte de Buchananne for her unwavering encouragement, to Brandon Brown and Emily Hughart for their cherished friendship and academic insight, to Dr. Cynthia Chalupa for enriching my studies and fostering my love for the German language, to Dr. Jonah Katz for his time and infinite knowledge, to Dr. Kirk Hazen for his expertise, und an Tobias Diemer für seine Hilfe.