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The origin of obscene words in Russian. When and how did the mat appear

Publication date: 05/13/2013

Mat, mother, obscene expressions is an ambiguous phenomenon. On the one hand, there are poorly educated and uncultured people who can’t even connect two words without a swear word, on the other hand, quite intelligent and well-mannered people sometimes swear too. Sometimes these words themselves fly out of our mouths. After all, there are situations when it is impossible to express your attitude to what is happening differently ...

So, let's figure out what this phenomenon is and where it came from.

Math is a kind of profanity in Russian and other languages. Mafia is condemned by society for the most part and is perceived negatively. And sometimes it can even be regarded as hooliganism. In addition, there are cases when the obscenity was used in the works of classical authors such as Pushkin (yes, it’s hard to believe, but it’s true), Mayakovsky and others.

If someone covers someone or something with an endless stream swear words, moreover, doing it in its own intricate way, something like this is called a “three-story mat”.

Origin

There is an opinion that the matershin was brought to our land by the Tatar-Mongol hordes. And that until this very moment in Russia they did not know swear words at all. Naturally, this is not so. Because a position in the spirit of “everything that is dirty has been brought to us from outside” is very convenient, and so characteristic of many of us.
Nomads have nothing to do with it, because. they were not in the habit of swearing. This fact celebrated in the 13th century italian traveler Plano Carpini, who visited then Central Asia. He wrote that the Tatar-Mongolians did not have swear words at all, and vice versa, Russian chronicle sources tell us that swearing was widespread in Russia long before the Horde yoke.
Modern foul language is rooted in distant linguistic antiquity.

The most important swear word is the word x **, the very thing that can be found on the walls and fences of the whole world :)

If we take this cult word of three letters, then the word "dick" also corresponds to it. On the Old Russian, "fuck" - means to cross out a cross over a cross. And the word "dick" means "cross". We are accustomed to think that given word used to refer to the male sexual organ, along with the same three-letter swear word. The fact is that in Christian philosophical symbolism, the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified is considered not as an instrument of shameful execution, but as a victory of life over death. Thus, the word "dick" was used in Russia to denote the word "cross". The letter "x" in Russian is denoted in the form of crossed lines, and this is not just so, because Christ, Christianity, temple, dick (cross). There is also an opinion, according to which, the phrase "Fuck you all on ***!" was invented by the defenders of Slavic paganism. They shouted it cursing the Christians who came to plant their faith. Initially, this expression meant a curse, paraphrasing it can be said that they meant "Go to the cross!", i.e. let them crucify you like your God." But in connection with the victory of Orthodoxy in Russia, the term "cross" ceased to have a negative meaning.

In Christianity, for example, foul language is considered a great sin, and the same is true in Islam. Russia adopted Christianity later than its Western neighbors. By this time, mat, along with pagan customs, was firmly rooted in Russian society. With the advent of Christianity in Russia, a struggle began with swear words. Orthodoxy has declared war on the mat. There were cases when in ancient Russia foul language was punished with whips. Swearing was a sign of a slave, a smerd. It was believed that a noble person, besides Orthodox, would never use foul language. A hundred years ago, a person who used bad language in public could be taken to the police station. AND Soviet authority waged war with swindlers. According to Soviet law, foul language in a public place was to be punished with a fine. In fact, this measure of punishment was used very rarely. Along with vodka, mat at that time was already considered a certain attribute of valiant prowess. The militiamen, the military, the higher officials cursed. Top management has a "strong word" and is now in use. If the leader uses obscene expressions in a conversation with someone, this means special trust.

Only in an intelligent environment was swearing a sign in bad taste. But what about Pushkin, you say, and Ranevskaya? According to contemporaries, Pushkin did not use rude expressions in his life. However, in some of his "secret" works one can find obscene words. It was just shocking - a slap in the face of a refined society that rejected him. Ah, you are so polished - so here is my "muzhik" answer. Ranevskaya's mat was an integral part of her bohemian image - the image, as they say now. For that time it was original - internally very thin nature, externally behaves like a man - smokes smelly cigarettes, swears. Now, when the mat sounds at every step, such a trick will no longer work.

In general, linguists believe that the roots of swear words are in many Indo-European languages, but they only managed to truly develop on our land.

So, three main swear words denoting male and female genital organs and the sexual act itself as such. Why did these words, which just mean things inherent in all living beings, eventually become swear words? Apparently our ancestors gave very great importance childbearing function. The words that meant reproductive organs, attached magical meaning. It was forbidden to pronounce them in vain, so as not to bring damage to people.

The first violators of this prohibition were sorcerers who were engaged in causing damage to people and doing other charming things. After, this taboo began to be violated by those who wanted to show that the law was not written for them. Gradually, obscenities began to be expressed just like that, from the fullness of feelings, for example. At the same time, all this developed, and the main words were overgrown with a mass of words derived from them.

There are three main linguistic versions of the introduction of obscenities into the Russian language, based on research conducted in different time various historians and linguists:

1. Russian mat - legacy Tatar-Mongol yoke(one of the theories, which, as we have already found out, is untenable in itself);
2. Russian swear words once had two meanings, subsequently displacing one of the meanings or merging together and turning the meaning of the word into a negative one;
3. Mat was and is an integral part of the occult and pagan rites that exist in different languages among different peoples.

There is no single point of view where the word mat itself came from. In some reference manuals, you can find a version that "mate" is a conversation. But why is the word "mate" so similar to the word mother?
There is a version related to the fact that the word "mat" came into the Russian language after the appearance of the expression "send to mother." In fact, this is one of the first expressions that became obscene. After the appearance of this particular phrase, many words that existed earlier in the language began to be classified as abusive and indecent.

In practice, until the 18th century, those words that we now classify as obscene and abusive were not at all such. Words that have become obscene meant earlier or some physiological features(or parts) human body, or even were ordinary words.
Relatively recently (only some thousand years ago), the swear words included a word meaning lung woman behavior, it comes from quite ordinary in ancient Russia the words "vomit", which means "spew abomination".

The verb "slut" in the Old Russian language had the meaning - "to idle talk, to deceive." In the Old Russian language there was also a verb fornication - "wander". Two meanings of this word are distinguished: 1) deviation from the direct path and 2) illegal, celibate cohabitation. There is a version that there was a kind of merger of two verbs (bloody and fornication).

In the Old Russian language there was a word "mudo", meaning "male testicle". The word was little used and did not have an obscene connotation. And then, apparently, it has come down to our times, turning from little used to common.

Addition to the article from Artyom Alenin:

The topic of swearing in Russia is a very fertile and popular topic. At the same time, a lot of untrue facts and rumors regarding the mat wander around the Internet. For example: “Scientists once set up an experiment. They cursed the water with a choice obscenity, after which they poured it over the seeds of wheat. As a result, of those grains that were watered with mat, only 48% sprouted, and the seeds watered with holy water sprouted by 93%. Naturally, this is all lies and fiction. You can't "charge" water with just one word. As they say, no one has yet repealed the laws of chemistry and physics. By the way, this myth was once perfectly dispelled in the MythBusters show.

Mat very often try to ban. Various laws are constantly coming out that restrict the use of obscenities in the media. But you don't have to do this! The reason lies in the following aspects.
First, checkmate is not necessarily an offensive word. Work for a week at a construction site and you will realize that swearing is a great way to communicate. Especially swearing helps to communicate with citizens of the union republics, who, apart from swearing, do not understand anything else :)

In addition, without using a mat, you can insult a person and even bring him to murder or suicide. So it’s not the mat that should be banned, but insults and humiliation in the media.

Secondly, mat is a word that reflects a very deep feeling. Checkmate is associated with strong negative feelings like rage or anger. And therefore, it is impossible to prohibit swearing - for this you need to change your consciousness. Theoretically, if a child is fenced off from the mat from childhood, then he will not swear. However, he will still come up with words that will express anger.
The fact that a person with amnesia, even if he does not remember the language, can still use obscenities speaks about the sensual background of the mat.

Our legislators are smart people, and therefore there is no article punishing swearing. But there are logical articles about slander and insult. Moreover, these articles have recently been canceled, since the responsibility for them is too low (public apology). But then these articles were returned again. Apparently, the state realized that the absence of at least some kind of punishment would let people off the “chain”. This is especially true of swearing in the media.

Interestingly, in Europe and the United States, it is not the mat itself that is prohibited, but the insults (which is logical). At the same time, one should not think that there are no swear words in the English language. According to statistics, there are more swear words in English than in Russian. Mata is also very common in Dutch and French(with their famous "curva", which is now in Polish and other languages).

Thank you for your attention!

P.S. The fact that we talk so loyally about swearing does not mean that you need to swear on our site :) So write comments in the usual civilized style.

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rather than from social status and age.

The widespread belief that teenagers swear many times more than mature people fails at Russian roads, in car repair shops and undistinguished drinking establishments. Here people do not hold back the impulses that come from the heart, splashing out a wave of their negativity on the 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 from the inside decomposes himself and has a bad effect on the surrounding space, releasing negative energy. It is believed that these people get sick more often than those who keep their tongue clean.

Obscene language can be heard in completely different layers. Often in the media you can find reports of another scandal with famous politicians or movie and show business stars who publicly used profanity. The paradox is that even someone who uses profanity to link words in a sentence denounces such celebrity behavior and considers it unacceptable.

Relation of the law to the use of profanity

Code of administrative offenses clearly regulates the use of swear words and expressions in a public place. Violator of peace and order to pay a fine, and in some cases, foul language may be subject to administrative arrest. However, in Russia and most of the CIS countries, this law is observed only when swear words were used by a law enforcement officer.

Cursing is swearing regardless of profession, wealth and level of education. However, for many, the presence of older people, young children and work that involves polite interaction with people is a deterrent.

Resourceful people a couple of decades ago found a way out of the situation: along with obscenities in oral speech appeared his surrogate. The words “damn”, “star”, “fuck off” seem to be not a foul language 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 added.

On forums and in the discussion of news, as a rule, the use of strong words is prohibited, but surrogates have successfully bypassed this barrier as well. Thanks to the appearance of an obscene surrogate, parents no longer hesitate to use it in the presence, causing harm cultural development his child, introducing the immature to the use of curses.

Taboo vocabulary includes those or other layers of vocabulary that are banned due to religious, mystical, political, moral and other reasons. What are the prerequisites for its occurrence?

Varieties of taboo vocabulary

Among the subspecies of taboo vocabulary, one can consider sacred taboos (on pronouncing the name of the creator in Judaism). The anathema to pronouncing the name of the alleged game during the hunt refers to a mystical taboo layer. It is for this reason that the bear is called the “owner” in bullying, and the word “bear” itself is a derivative of the phrase “in charge of honey”.

Obscene language

One of the most significant types of taboo vocabulary is obscene or vocabulary, in the common people - mat. Three main versions can be distinguished from the history of the origin of Russian obscene vocabulary. Adherents of the first hypothesis argue that the Russian mate arose as a legacy of the Tatar-Mongol yoke. Which in itself is debatable, given that most of the obscene roots go back to the Proto-Slavic origins. According to the second version, swear words once had several lexical meanings, one of which over time supplanted all the others and was assigned to the word. The third theory says that swear words were once a significant component of the occult rituals of the pre-Christian period.

Let's consider lexical metamorphoses on the example of the most cult formulations. It is known that in ancient times to “fuck” meant “to cross out a cross on a cross”. Accordingly, "dick" was called the cross. Turnover "fuck everyone" 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 the 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 with obscene lexemes.

It is known that many lexical units that are now considered obscene were not such until the 18th century. These were completely ordinary words denoting parts (or features physiological structure) of the human body and not only. So, the Proto-Slavic "jebti" originally meant "beat, hit", "huj" - "needle coniferous tree, something sharp and poignant." The word "pisda" was used in the meaning of "urinary organ". Recall that the verb "whore" once meant "to idle talk, to lie." "Fornication" - "evasion from the established path", as well as "illegal cohabitation". Later both verbs merged together.

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 become firmly rooted as the main form of communication in the troops. Over time, the officer stratum of society popularized obscene vocabulary to such an extent that it turned into urban slang.

Weed words - an indicator of general and speech culture

Among the verbal rubbish there is something that is considered indecent in any cultural society. It's about about profanity. Elements of foul language, no doubt, speak of an extremely low level common culture. Swearing carries a very strong expressive charge. In some cases, socially acceptable substitutes for obscene words are used, such as "fir-trees-sticks". It is better to refrain from even such seemingly harmless expressions, even if the situation is conducive to an emotional response.

If you notice signs of weedy words in your speech, try to get them under control. Awareness of speech deficiency is the first step to its elimination. Constant control over the quality of your speech will help you express your thoughts more accurately and become a pleasant conversationalist.

Delight, surprise, consent and more

Perhaps the most frequently used word among profanity, the word that is most often written on fences throughout Russia, refers to the male sexual organ. Linguists have not agreed on a common opinion about where this word came from. Some experts attribute Old Slavic roots to the word, arguing that in ancient times it meant “hide” and sounded like “how to”. And the word "forge" in the imperative mood sounded like "forge". Another theory attributes the word to Proto-Indo-European roots. In which the root "hu" meant "process".
Today it is extremely difficult to talk about the persuasiveness of each of the theories. What can be unequivocally stated is that the word is very ancient, no matter how people with diosincrasia of obscene vocabulary would like it. It is also worth noting that “this very word” of three letters is the most productive root that forms new words in Russian. This word can express doubt, surprise, indignation, delight, refusal, threat, consent, despondency, encouragement, etc., etc. Only in the Wikipedia article of the same name there are more than seven dozen idioms and words that are formed from this root.

Theft, fight and death

The word denoting the female genital organs is less productive in Russian obscene vocabulary than the word - the representative of the stronger sex. Nevertheless, this word gave the Russian language quite a lot of expressions that reflect the severity of Russian reality in the best possible way. So, words with the same root from this well-known word often mean: lie, mislead, beat, steal, talk incessantly. Set expressions, as a rule, denote a course of events that does not unfold according to plan, an educational process, a fight, a beating, failure, and even a breakdown or death.
The origin of this word, some especially fierce linguists attribute to Sanskrit. However, this theory does not withstand even the most humane criticism. The most convincing theory, the researchers consider the origin of the Proto-Indo-European languages. There, according to scientists, the words with the same root as the second most popular word in Russian mat meant “saddle”, “what they sit on”, “garden” and “nest”. It is also worth noting that this word can have both a strictly negative connotation and a positive one.

About sexual intercourse and not only about it

The word that today in obscene vocabulary means sexual intercourse comes from the Proto-Indo-European language (jebh-/oibh- or *ojebh) and in pure form means "to have sexual intercourse." In Russian, this word gave rise to great amount very popular idioms. One of the most popular is the phrase "f*ck your mother." Linguists claim that the ancient Slavs used this expression in the context of "Yes, I'm fit for your fathers!". Other expressions with this verb are known today, meaning to mislead, to express indifference, to make claims.

Mat devaluation

In fairness, it should be noted that many Russian writers were distinguished by the ability to insert a “strong word” into their speech. There was a mate even in some poems. Of course, this is not about fairy tales and not about love lyrics, but about friendly epigrams and satirical works. And it is worth noting that the great Pushkin owns swearing organically and skillfully:

Shut up, godfather; and you, like me, are sinful,
And you will break everyone with words;
In someone else's d ** de straw you see
And you don’t even see the logs!
(“From the All-Night Evening...”)

The trouble with the modern Russian language is that today, due to various circumstances, the mat is being devalued. It is used so widely that the expression of expressions and the very essence of the mat is lost. As a result, this impoverishes the Russian language and, oddly enough, the culture of speech. For today's situation, the words spoken by another famous poet- Vladimir Mayakovsky.

In 2013, on March 19, the State Duma of the Russian Federation adopted a bill banning obscene language in the media. Those from the media that still dare to use one or another "strong" word will have to pay a fine of about 200 thousand rubles. It is noteworthy that deputies from the faction " United Russia”, who commented on their actions as a desire to protect the country's population from the immoral information environment. However, most Russians believe that the fight against obscenity is useless. Neither campaigning nor fines will help in this. The main thing is internal culture and upbringing.

At the end of June in State Duma supported a bill that would increase the punishment for using obscenities in the family and in public places. More than once, attempts were made to toughen responsibility for obscene language, both under tsarism and after the revolution. About how unprintable words penetrated into public life here and in the West, Lidia Malygina, Associate Professor of the Department of Stylistics of the Russian Language at the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow State University, the scientific supervisor of the system, spoke about the history and meaning of the “KP” mat distance learning

If there were no problem, there would be no law. The question arises: who initially taught the Russian people to swear?

- One of the most common versions is the Tatar-Mongols. But in fact, this vocabulary has nothing to do with them. Russian mat of Slavic origin. Four roots known to every Russian person can be found in Macedonian, Slovenian, and other Slavic languages.

Most likely, the mat was an element of pagan cults associated with fertility, for example, with a conspiracy of cattle or a call for rain. The literature describes in detail such a custom: a Serbian peasant throws an ax up and utters obscene words, trying to make it rain.

Why have such words become taboo?

- When Christianity came to Russia, the church began an active struggle against pagan cults, including swear words as one of the manifestations of the cult. Hence such a strong taboo of these forms. This is what distinguishes Russian obscenity from obscene vocabulary in other languages. Of course, since then the Russian language has been actively developing and changing, and with it the Russian language. New swear words have appeared, but they are based on the same four standard roots. Some harmless words that existed before became obscene. For example, the word "dick". “Dick” is a letter of the pre-revolutionary alphabet, and the verb “fuck” was used in the meaning of “cross out”. Now this word is not yet included in the category of swear words, but it is already actively approaching it.

– There is a myth about the uniqueness of the Russian obscene language. Is it so?

- An interesting comparison with English language. Obscene words have always puzzled British philologists with their nature. As early as 1938, the linguist Chase emphasized: "If someone mentions sexual intercourse, then this does not shock anyone. But if someone pronounces an old Anglo-Saxon four-letter word, most people will freeze in horror."

The premiere of Bernard Shaw's play "Pygmalion" in 1914 was awaited with great impatience. A rumor was started up that, according to the author's intention, the actress playing the main female role should utter an obscene word from the stage. When asked by Freddie if she was going to walk home, Eliza Doolittle had to say very emotionally: "Not bloody likely!". The intrigue persisted to the last. During the premiere, the actress nevertheless uttered an obscene word. The effect was indescribable: noise, laughter, whistling, clatter. Bernard Shaw even decided to leave the hall, deciding that the play was doomed. Now the British are complaining that they have actually lost this favorite curse of theirs, which has already lost its former strength, because the word has become too common.

Lidia MALYGINA - Associate Professor, Department of Russian Language Stylistics, Faculty of Journalism, Moscow State University Photo: Archive "KP"

- Probably, after the sexual revolution of the 1960s, the situation changed a lot, and obscene words literally poured onto the pages of the press?

- Certainly. Remember Great Britain late XIX- the beginning of the twentieth century. Then even the legs of the piano were dressed in covers so that they would not cause random erotic associations! In the second half of the twentieth century, contraceptives are rapidly developing, the pornography industry is growing. Marriage for life, fidelity of spouses began to look like old-fashioned prejudices. Yes, and heterosexuality in marriage has ceased to be a prerequisite. It is noteworthy that at that time the attitude towards obscene words also changed. There are two linguistic collections devoted to obscene language. The first one was published in the USA in 1980. The second one was published in the United Kingdom and the USA in 1990. Several articles about vulgarisms appear in these directories at once. Examples of the use of obscene language were given in clear text.

- And yet they punished for the mat. A well-known case when, in the midst of anti-war protests in the United States in 1968 young man, who did not want to serve on the draft, was prosecuted for wearing a jacket with the inscription: “F ... the draft!”.

- Yes. Another famous case- 12-minute radio program "Obscene words". Satirist George Carlin listed seven words that should not be spoken on the radio, and then began to discuss this problem. One of the listeners was driving in a car with a child and accidentally heard the program. He immediately called the editor of the program and complained.

Another well-known scandal was caused by the fact that newspapers in the late 1970s. published an obscene statement, which during sports competitions the player said to the referee: "f... cheating cunt". Yes and in works of art without any disguise, the rudest words began to appear. In a guide to St. Petersburg, Western authors do not hesitate to explain Russian vulgarisms, for example, b... (whore) – which is usually rendered as simply b... (short version of the word - Ed.) – and plays an equivalent role to 'f ...' in English for those who use it as a verbal stutter.

– Russian journalists they also like to use obscene words and expressions, masking them a little so as not to formally violate the law on the ban on swearing in the media ...

- Yes, softer expressions instead of rude ones often cover in the text easily guessed obscene expressions, swear words and curses: “Dick Advocaat: UEFA for yourself!”; "Hugh Hefner and Dasha Astafieva: Hugh knows her ..."; “And he stole deposits worth 2 billion ... But he himself ended up in a complete “hopra””; or "Russia in CHOP" - the title of a special report on private security companies or the title of a film about losing weight "I'm losing weight, dear editors!".

– Are there other languages besides Russian, in which obscene vocabulary is divided into ordinary swear words and into strictly taboo ones, the use of which is prohibited in any situation and in any context?

– In this sense, the Russian language is unique. Although, for example, obscene language Spanish is also associated with the sexual sphere, in contrast to German (in German this is the area of excrement). But in Spanish there is no such taboo, so the first academic dictionaries of the Spanish language contained such vocabulary, but the dictionaries of the Russian language did not. In general, the first dictionary fixation of swearing dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. This is the third edition of Dahl's dictionary, edited by Baudouin de Courtenay. But such activities of dictionary compilers quickly ended, since the Soviet authorities banned the use of obscenities, and the third edition of Dahl's dictionary was sharply criticized.

Swearing words that can be easily heard on the streets, in parks, cafes, restaurants and even on television, were instilled in Russians by the Tatar-Mongols. For three centuries - so much the yoke ruled in Russia - the Slavs adopted a loud and extremely harsh swearing. Other countries that were also subject to capture swear no less and no worse than the Slavs. Researchers claim that can be found in mats different languages the same roots. That is why the strong vocabulary of different nationalities is quite easy to understand.

However, there is a slightly different theory of the origin of the Russian mat. Some of the chronicle sources indicate that the Slavs knew how to express themselves long before the invasion of the Golden Horde. The roots of profanity lie in a number of Indo-European dialects, which surprisingly concentrated precisely on Russian soil. Swear words can be divided into three groups: denoting sexual intercourse, defining male or female genitals. The rest of the dictionary of obscene language is built on this basis.

Scientists offer such a theory of the occurrence of the mat. Such vocabulary was born, in their opinion, in the territory between the Himalayas and Mesopotamia. After all, it was here that the majority of Indo-European tribes were concentrated, from which profanity dispersed in the future.

Great importance among the inhabitants of these tribes was given childbearing function, since it was the only way to survive and expand their nationality. All the words that denoted the sacrament of the process were considered especially magical, so it was impossible to pronounce them without special need and the permission of the sorcerers, since, according to the elders, this could lead to the evil eye. However, these rules were violated by the sorcerers and slaves themselves, for whom the law was not written. So gradually the forbidden vocabulary migrated into everyday speech and began to be used from the fullness of feelings or a surge of emotions.

It is natural that most of swear words used now are not very similar to the first Indo-European curses. Most of the modern mat is based on associations. So, for example, the word for a woman of easy virtue is associated with and comes from such a word as “vomit”, which can be translated as “spew out an abomination”. On the face of the phonetic similarity of the two curse words based on the same association.

Mats have entered into everyday life among Russian people especially tightly. Researchers attribute this fact to the development of Christianity, which prohibits abuse in any form. And since what is forbidden, one wants even more. Therefore, foul language has taken a special place in the Russian language.