*Fool *
Very for a long time the word "fool" was not offensive. In documents of the XV-XVII centuries. This
the word occurs as a name. And these names are not slaves at all, but quite respectable people: “Prince Fyodor Semenovich Fool of Kemsky”, “Prince Ivan Ivanovich the Bearded Fool Zasekin”, “Moscow clerk (also a rather large position V.G.) Fool Mishurin”. Countless “stupid” surnames Durov, Durakov, Durnovo began from the same times. But the fact is that the word “fool” was often used as a second, non-church name. In the old days, it was popular to give a child a middle name in order to deceive evil spirits, they say, what can you take from a fool?
*Goon*
There is a theory that at first those who drank greedily and choked were called “rednecks.” One way or another, but the first one is true known value this word "greedy, stingy." And even now the expression “Don’t be mean!” means "Don't be greedy!"
*Infection*
Girls are different. Perhaps not everyone is offended by the word “infection,” but you certainly can’t call it a compliment. And yet, initially it was still a compliment. In the first half of the 18th century, secular suitors constantly “called” beautiful ladies"infections". And all because the word “infect” initially had not only a medical-infectious meaning, but was also synonymous with “kill.” In the Novgorod First Chronicle, under the year 1117 there is an entry: “One of the clerks was infected by thunder.” In general, it became so infected that I didn’t even have time to get sick. So the word "infection" became
to denote feminine charms with which they defeated (infected) men.
*Idiot *
The Greek word for "idiot" did not originally contain even a hint of mental illness. IN Ancient Greece it meant “private person,” “separate, isolated person.” It is no secret that the ancient Greeks treated public life very responsibly and called themselves “polites”. Those who avoided participating in politics (for example, did not go to vote) were called “idiots” (that is, busy only with their own narrow personal interests). Naturally, conscious citizens did not respect “idiots,” and soon this word acquired new disparaging connotations of “limited, undeveloped, ignorant person.” And already among the Romans the Latin idiota means only “ignorant, ignorant,” from which it is two steps away from the meaning “stupid.”
*Cretin*
If we were transported somewhere five or six centuries ago to mountainous region French Alps and turned to the local residents: “Hello, cretins!” No one would throw you into the abyss for this.. Why be offended in the local dialect, the word cretin is quite decent and is translated as “Christian” (from the distorted French chretien) . This was until they began to notice that among the Alpine cretins there were often mentally retarded people with a characteristic goiter on the neck.. Later it turned out that in mountainous areas there is often a lack of iodine in the water, as a result of which activity is impaired thyroid gland, with all the ensuing consequences. When doctors began to describe this disease, they decided not to invent anything new, and used the dialect word “cretin,” which was extremely rarely used. So the Alpine “Christians” became “feeble-minded”.
*Sucker*
This now very popular word “sucker” two centuries ago was used only by residents of the Russian north and they used it not to call people, but fish. Probably, many have heard how courageously and persistently the famous salmon (or, as it is also called, salmon) goes to its spawning site. Rising against the current, it overcomes even steep rocky rapids. It is clear that having reached and spawned, the fish loses its last strength (as they say, it “gets blown off”) and, wounded, is literally carried downstream. And there she is,
Naturally, cunning fishermen are waiting and take, as they say, with their bare hands. Gradually this word passed from vernacular into the jargon of itinerant merchants (hence, by the way, the expression “talk on a hairdryer,” that is, communicate in jargon). “Sucker” they called a peasant peasant who came from the village to the city, and who was easy to deceive.
*Scoundrel*
The etymology of "scoundrel" goes back to the word "frozen". Cold even for northern peoples does not evoke any pleasant associations, so they began to call a cold, insensitive, indifferent, callous, inhuman and generally extremely (to the point of trembling!) unpleasant subject a “scoundrel.” The word "scum", by the way, comes from the same place. Just like the now popular “scumbags”.
*Mymra*
“Mymra” is a Komi-Permyak word and it is translated as “gloomy”. Once in Russian speech, it began to mean, first of all, an unsociable homebody (in Dahl’s dictionary it is written: “mymrit” - sitting at home all the time.”) Gradually, “mymra” began to be called simply an unsociable, boring, gray and gloomy person.
*Insolent*
The words “impudence”, “arrogant” existed for quite a long time in the Russian language in the meaning of “sudden, impetuous, explosive, passionate”. Happened in Ancient Rus' and the concept of “brazen death,” that is, death is not slow, natural, but sudden, violent. In the church work of the 11th century “Cheti Menaion” there are the following lines: “The horses raced brazenly”, “I will drown the rivers brazenly” (brazenly, that is, quickly).
*Scoundrel*
The fact that this is a person unsuitable for something is, in general, understandable. But in the 19th century, when conscription was introduced in Russia, this word was not an insult. This was the name given to people unfit for military service. That is, if you didn’t serve in the army, that means you’re a scoundrel!
*Scoundrel*
But this word is Polish in origin and simply means “a simple, humble person.” Thus, the famous play by A. Ostrovsky, “Simplicity is Enough for Every Wise Man,” was performed in Polish theaters under the title “Notes of a Scoundrel.” Accordingly, all non-gentry belonged to the “vile people”.
*Bastard*
Another word that originally existed exclusively in plural. It couldn’t have been otherwise, since “scum” was the name given to the remains of the liquid remaining at the bottom along with the sediment. And since all sorts of rabble often hung around the taverns and taverns, finishing off the muddy remains of alcohol after other visitors, the word “scum” soon passed into them. It is also possible that significant role The expression “scum of society” also played a role here, that is, degraded people who are “at the bottom.”
*Vulgar*
“Vulgarity” is an original Russian word, which is rooted in the verb “went”. Until the 17th century, it was used in a more than decent sense and meant everything familiar, traditional, done according to custom, that which HAS BEEN HAPPENED from time immemorial. However, at the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th centuries, Peter’s reforms began, opening a window to Europe and the fight against all ancient “vulgar” customs. The word “vulgar” began to lose respect before our eyes and now increasingly meant “backward,” “hateful,” “uncultured,” “simple.”
*Bastard*
“Svolochati” in Old Russian is the same as “svolochat”. Therefore, bastard was originally called all kinds of garbage that was raked into a heap. This meaning (among others) was retained by Dahl: “Bastard is everything that is bastarded or dragged into one place: weeds, grass and roots, rubbish dragged by a harrow from arable land.” Over time, this word began to define ANY crowd gathered in one place. And only then they began to refer to all sorts of despicable people - drunks, thieves, tramps and other asocial elements.
*Bitch*
Anyone who opens Dahl’s dictionary can read that a bitch means “dead, scorched cattle,” that is, simply put, carrion, rotting meat. Soon, men began to contemptuously use the word “bitch” to call especially vile and harmful ones (“with a smell” ) whores. And since the harmfulness of a woman apparently turned men on (purely male pleasure from overcoming obstacles), the word “bitch,” while retaining a fair amount of negativity, appropriated to itself some of the features of the “femme fatale.” Although the vulture feeding on carrion still reminds us of its original meaning.
*Bastard*
The word “hybrid,” as we know, is non-Russian and entered the popular arsenal quite late. Much later than the hybrids themselves - crosses different types animals. So people came up with the words “bastard” and “geek” for such crosses. The words did not stay long in the animal sphere and began to be used as a humiliating name for slaves and bastards, that is, “crosses” of nobles with commoners.
*Schmuck*
“Chmarit”, “chmorit”, according to Dahl, originally meant “to languish”, “to be in need”, “to vegetate”. Gradually, this verb gave birth to a noun, defining a pitiful person in a humiliated, oppressed state. In the prison world, prone to all kinds of secret codes, the word “ChMO” began to be considered as an abbreviation for the definition of “Moral Degenerate Person,” which, however, is completely not far from the original meaning.
*Shantrapa*
Not all the French made it to France. The Russian nobles brought many of them into captivity into their service. Of course, they were not suitable for the harvest, but as tutors, teachers and directors of serf theaters they came in handy. They examined the men sent to the casting and, if they did not see any talent in the applicant, they waved their hand and said “Chantra pas” (“not fit for singing”).
*Sharomizhnik*
1812 The previously invincible Napoleonic army, exhausted by the cold and partisans, retreated from Russia. The brave “conquerors of Europe” turned into frozen and hungry ragamuffins. Now they did not demand, but humbly asked the Russian peasants for something to eat, addressing them “cher ami” (“love friends”). Peasants, in foreign languages not strong, so they nicknamed the French beggars “ballooners.” Not the least role in these metamorphoses was apparently played by the Russian words “sharit” and “moke.”
*Trash*
Since peasants were not always able to provide “humanitarian aid” to the former occupiers, they often included horse meat in their diet, including dead horse meat. In French, “horse” is cheval (hence, by the way, the well-known word “chevalier” - knight, horseman)... However, the Russians, who did not see any special chivalry in eating horses, dubbed the pathetic French with the word “trash”, in the sense of “rags”.
*Rogue*
Rogue, rogue - words that came into our speech from Germany. The German schelmen meant "swindler, deceiver." Most often, this was the name given to a fraudster posing as another person. In G. Heine's poem "Shelm von Berger" this role is played by the Bergen executioner, who came to a social masquerade pretending to be a noble person. The Duchess with whom he danced caught the deceiver by tearing off his mask.
Sent by Lev Utevsky
Than from social status and age.
The widespread belief that teenagers swear many times more than mature people fails Russian roads, in auto repair shops and undignified drinking establishments. Here people do not restrain impulses that come from the heart, splashing out a wave of their negativity on their interlocutor and those around them. In most cases, the use of a mat is associated with a disadvantage vocabulary or with the fact that a person is not able to express his words and thoughts in a more cultural form.
From the point of view of esotericism and religion, a scolding person decomposes himself from the inside and has a bad influence on the surrounding space, releasing negative energy. It is believed that these people get sick more often than those who keep their tongues clean.
Obscene language can be heard in completely different layers. Often in the media you can find reports about yet another scandal involving famous politicians or movie and show business stars who publicly used profanity. The paradox is that even those who use swear words to connect words in a sentence condemn this behavior of celebrities and consider it unacceptable.
The attitude of the law towards the use of profanity
The Code of Administrative Offenses clearly regulates the use of swear words and expressions in a public place. A violator of peace and order must pay a fine, and in some cases, a foul speaker may be subject to administrative arrest. However, in Russia and most CIS countries, this law is observed only when swear words were used by a law enforcement officer.People use foul language regardless of profession, income and level of education. However, for many, the presence of elderly people, young children and work that requires polite communication with people is a deterrent.
Resourceful people a couple of decades ago found a way out of the situation: along with swearing in oral speech his surrogate appeared. The words “damn”, “star”, “to get out” do not seem to be obscenities in the literal sense of the word and cannot fall under the corresponding article by definition, but they carry the same meaning and the same negative as their predecessors, and such words are constantly being replenished.
On forums and in news discussions, the use of strong words is usually prohibited, but surrogates successfully bypassed this barrier. Thanks to the emergence of an obscene surrogate, parents no longer hesitate to use it in the presence of children, harming the cultural development of their child, introducing the immature to the use of swear words.
Taboo vocabulary includes certain layers of vocabulary that are prohibited due to religious, mystical, political, moral and other reasons. What are the prerequisites for its occurrence?
Types of taboo vocabulary
Among the subtypes of taboo vocabulary, one can consider sacred taboos (on pronouncing the name of the creator in Judaism). The anathema to pronounce the name of the intended game during a hunt belongs to a mystical taboo layer. It is for this reason that the bear is called “master” in baiting, and the word “bear” itself is derived from the phrase “in charge of honey.”
Obscene vocabulary
.One of the most significant types of taboo vocabulary is obscene or obscene vocabulary, in common parlance – obscene language. From the history of the emergence of Russian obscene vocabulary, three main versions can be distinguished. Proponents of the first hypothesis argue that Russian swearing arose as a legacy of the Tatar-Mongol yoke. Which in itself is controversial, given that most obscene roots go back to Proto-Slavic origins. According to the second version, swear lexemes once had several lexical meanings, one of which over time replaced all the others and became attached to the word. The third theory states that swear words were once a significant component of occult rituals of the pre-Christian period.
Let's consider lexical metamorphoses using the example of the most iconic formulations. It is known that in ancient times, “poherit” meant “to cross out a cross.” Accordingly, the cross was called “dick”. The expression “fuck you all” was introduced into use by ardent supporters of paganism. Thus, they wished Christians to die on the cross by analogy with their own god. Needless to say, current users of the language use this word in a completely different context.
Swearing also played an important role in rites and rituals of pagan origin, usually associated with fertility. In addition, it should be noted that most conspiracies for death, illness, love spells, etc. abound in obscene lexemes.
It is known that many lexical units, now considered obscene, were not such until the 18th century. These were completely ordinary words denoting parts (or features physiological structure) human body and more. Thus, the Proto-Slavic “jebti” originally meant “to hit, hit”, “huj” - “a needle of a coniferous tree, something sharp and prickly.” The word “pisda” was used to mean “urinary organ.” Let us remember that the verb “whore” once meant “to talk idle talk, to lie.” “Fornication” is “deviation from the established path”, as well as “illegal cohabitation”. Later both verbs merged into one.
It is believed that before the invasion of Napoleonic troops in 1812, swear words were not particularly in demand in society. However, as it turned out in the process, hazing was much more effective in the trenches. Since then, swearing has confidently taken root as the main form of communication among the troops. Over time, the officer stratum of society popularized obscene language to such an extent that it became urban slang.
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Sources:
- how swearing (taboo vocabulary) appeared in 2019
- Taboo words and euphemisms (profanity) in 2019
- (OBVIOUS SPEECH AND OBVIOUS USE) in 2019
Modern dictionaries and reference books explain the term “expletive language” as a category of language related to obscene language. Often a parallel is drawn, or even a complete synonymization of the concepts of “abusive language” and “obscene”. It is assumed that swear words include only obscene, obscenely vile, vulgar words and expressions. And abusive language itself is regarded as a spontaneous reaction to certain events or sensations.
Instructions
According to the definition of swear words as part of obscene language, there is a certain thematic classification of swear words and expressions:
- emphasized negative characteristics person, including obscene definitions;
- names of taboo body parts;
- obscene names of sexual intercourse;
- names of physiological acts and the results of their administration.
Everything would be too simple and clear if not for one “but”. You don’t need to be a professional linguist not to trace the similarities in words and expressions: “abusive”, “self-assembly”, “battlefield”, “decoration”. Some linguists explain this similarity by its origin in the vocabulary of the predecessor of the Indo-European language. The lexical unit of the proto-language - “br”, could mean the common property of the tribe, food, and was the basis for the word formation of many terms from which the words “take”, “brushna”, as well as “bor”, “bee-keeper” were derived. It is assumed that the expression “abuse” could come from military spoils, and “battlefield” is a field of spoils. Hence the “self-assembled tablecloth” and, characteristically, “burden/pregnancy/pregnancy”, as well as agricultural terms - “harrow”, “furrow”.
Over time, words associated with the reproduction of offspring were grouped into the category of “swear words,” but they did not belong to obscenity vocabulary. Swear words were classified as taboo; only priests could use them and only in cases prescribed by custom, mainly in erotic rituals associated with agricultural magic. This guides the hypothesis about the origin of the word “mate” - agriculture - “swear words” - “mother - cheese”.
With the adoption of Christianity, the use of swear words came under complete ban, but most words in this category were not popularly positioned as offensive. Until the 18th century, modern swear words were used as an equal part of the Russian language.
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note
The list of swear words is not constant - some words go away or lose their negative connotation, such as the word “ud”, which is not perceived by contemporaries as anything other than the root of the word “fishing rod”, but in the 19th century was prohibited for use at the legislative level as a designation of male sexual organ.
The list of dirty words is quite wide. Surely you have had to catch such constructions in the speech of your interlocutor: “in general”, “as if”, “this”, “well”, “so to speak”, “this is the same”, “what’s his name”. IN youth environment V Lately came from in English the word Ok (“okay”).
Weedy words are an indicator of general and speech culture
Among the verbal garbage there is also something that is considered indecent in any cultural society. We are talking about profanity. Elements of obscene language, without a doubt, indicate an extremely low level of general culture. Swearing carries a very strong expressive charge. In some cases, socially acceptable substitutes for obscene words are used, for example, “Christmas trees.” It is better to refrain from even such seemingly harmless expressions, even if the situation encourages an emotional reaction.
If you notice signs of dirty words in your speech, try to take control of them. Awareness of a speech deficiency is the first step towards eliminating it. Constantly monitoring the quality of your speech will help you express your thoughts more accurately and become a pleasant conversationalist.
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Related article
And what Russian doesn’t express himself with strong words? And it is true! Moreover, many swear words have been translated into foreign languages, but the interesting thing is that there are no full-fledged analogues of Russian swearing in foreign languages and are unlikely to ever appear. It is no coincidence that not a single great Russian writer or poet avoided this phenomenon!
How and why did swearing appear in the Russian language?
Why do other languages do without it? Perhaps someone will say that with the development of civilization, with the improvement of the well-being of citizens in the vast majority of countries on our planet, the need for swearing naturally disappeared? Russia is unique in that these improvements never occurred in it, and swearing in it remained in its virgin, primitive form...
Where did he come to us from?
Previously, a version was spread that swearing appeared in the dark times of the Tatar-Mongol yoke, and before the arrival of the Tatars in Rus', Russians did not swear at all, and when swearing, they called each other only dogs, goats and sheep.
However, this opinion is erroneous and is denied by most research scientists. Of course, the invasion of nomads influenced the life, culture and speech of the Russian people. Perhaps such a Turkic word as “baba-yagat” (knight, knight) changed social status and gender, turning into our Baba Yaga. The word "karpuz" (watermelon) turned into a well-fed little boy. But the term “fool” (stop, halt) began to be used to describe a stupid person.
Swearing has nothing to do with the Turkic language, because it was not customary for the nomads to swear, and swear words were completely absent from the dictionary. From Russian chronicle sources (the oldest known examples in birch bark documents of the 12th century from Novgorod and Staraya Russa. See “Obscene vocabulary in birch bark documents.” The specifics of the use of some expressions are commented on in the “Russian-English Dictionary” by Richard James (1618–1619). It is known that swear words appeared in Rus' long before the Tatar-Mongol invasion. Linguists see the roots of these words in most Indo-European languages, but they became so widespread only on Russian soil.
So why, out of many Indo-European peoples, did swear words stick only to the Russian language?
Researchers also explain this fact by religious prohibitions that other peoples had earlier due to the earlier adoption of Christianity. In Christianity, as in Islam, foul language is considered a great sin. Rus' adopted Christianity later, and by that time, along with pagan customs, swearing was firmly rooted among the Russian people. After the adoption of Christianity in Rus', war was declared on foul language.
The etymology of the word “mat” may seem quite transparent: it supposedly goes back to the Indo-European word “mater” meaning “mother”, which was preserved in various Indo-European languages. However, special studies propose other reconstructions.
So, for example, L.I. Skvortsov writes: “The literal meaning of the word “mate” is “a loud voice, a cry.” It is based on onomatopoeia, that is, involuntary shouts of “ma!”, “me!” - mooing, meowing, roaring of animals during estrus, mating calls, etc.” Such an etymology might seem naive if it did not go back to the concept of the authoritative Etymological Dictionary of Slavic Languages: “...Russian mat, - a derivative of the verb “matati” - “to shout”, “loud voice”, “cry”, is related to the word “ matoga” – “to swear”, i.e. to grimace, to break down, (about animals) to shake one’s head, to “whack” – to disturb, disturb. But "matoga" in many Slavic languages means “ghost, ghost, monster, bogeyman, witch”...
What does it mean?
There are three main swear words and they mean sexual intercourse, male and female genitalia, all the rest are derivatives of these three words. But in other languages, these organs and actions also have their own names, which for some reason did not become dirty words? To understand the reason for the appearance of swear words on Russian soil, researchers looked into the depths of centuries and offered their own version of the answer.
They believe that in the vast territory between the Himalayas and Mesopotamia, in the vast expanses, there lived a few tribes of the ancestors of the Indo-Europeans, who had to multiply in order to expand their habitat, therefore great value given to childbearing function. And words associated with reproductive organs and functions were considered magical. They were forbidden to say “in vain,” so as not to jinx them or cause damage. The taboos were broken by sorcerers, followed by untouchables and slaves for whom the law was not written.
Gradually I developed the habit of using obscenities out of fullness of feelings or just to connect words. Basic words began to acquire many derivatives. Not so long ago, just a thousand years ago, a word meaning lung woman"fuck" behavior. It comes from the word “vomit,” that is, “vomit abomination.”
But the most important swear word is rightfully considered to be the same three-letter word that is found on the walls and fences of the entire civilized world. Let's look at it as an example. When did this three-letter word appear? One thing I will say for sure is that it was clearly not in Tatar-Mongol times. In the Turkic dialect of the Tatar-Mongolian languages, this “object” is denoted by the word “kutah”. By the way, many now have a surname derived from this word and do not consider it at all dissonant: “Kutakhov.”
What was the name of the reproductive organ in ancient times?
Many Slavic tribes it was designated by the word “ud”, from which, by the way, comes the quite decent and censored “fishing rod”. But still, in most tribes, the genital organ was called nothing more than “dick.” However, this three-letter word was replaced around the 16th century by a three-letter, more literary analogue - “dick”. Most literate people know that this is exactly what (her) was the name of the 23rd letter of the Cyrillic alphabet, which turned into the letter “ha” after the revolution. To those who know this, it seems obvious that the word "dick" is a euphemistic replacement, resulting from the fact that the word being replaced begins with that letter. However, in reality it is not so simple.
The fact is that those who think so do not ask the question, why, in fact, is the letter “X” called dick? After all, all the letters of the Cyrillic alphabet are named after Slavic words, the meaning of most of which is clear to the modern Russian-speaking public without translation. What did this word mean before it became a letter?
IN Indo-European language-based on which the distant ancestors of the Slavs, Balts, Germans and other European peoples spoke, the word “her” meant a goat. This word is related to the Latin "hircus". In modern Russian, the word “harya” remains a related word. Until recently, this word was used to describe goat masks used by mummers during carols.
The similarity of this letter to a goat was obvious to the Slavs in the 9th century. The top two sticks are his horns, and the bottom two are his legs. Then, among many nations, the goat symbolized fertility, and the god of fertility was depicted as a two-legged goat. This idol had an organ between its two legs, symbolizing fertility, which was called “ud” or “h*y”. In the Indo-European language this part of the body was called “pesus”, it corresponds to the Sanskrit “पसस्”, which in ancient Greek is translated as “peos”, Latin “penis”, Old English “faesl”. This word comes from the verb “peseti”, meaning the primary function of this organ is to emit urine.
Thus, we can conclude that swearing arose in ancient times and was associated with pagan rituals. Mat is, first of all, a way to demonstrate readiness to break taboos and cross certain boundaries. Therefore, the topic of swearing in different languages similar – “bottom line” and everything related to the departure physiological needs. In addition to “corporal curses,” some peoples (mostly French-speaking) have blasphemous curses. The Russians don't have this.
And one more important point– you cannot mix argotisms with swearing, which are absolutely not swearing, but most likely just foul language. As, for example, there are dozens of thieves’ argotisms alone with the meaning “prostitute” in the Russian language: alura, barukha, marukha, profursetka, slut, etc.
