A new survey reveals that most Russians swear on a daily basis. The study also reveals that people with good educations swear just as much as the rest of the population. The research, conducted by the Russian Public Opinion Fund, has again sparked a debat

The survey found that 55% of people use foul language from time to time while 13% admit to using it often. 30% claim they never use obscene words.

Of those surveyed, 72% admitted to regularly hearing gutter words in the streets or on public transport. Another 24% said they only heard swearing seldom while 2% said they never noticed people swearing in public.

A majority of 52% believe swearing has been on the increase since the fall of the Soviet Union while 11% believe the opposite to be true. Another 24% do not see any significant changes.

Russia is not the only country where colourful language is on the rise. British linguists, worried by the phenomenon, claim it’s related to the social changes of the past century.  Some people are believed to utter expletives as a way of coping with the pressures of modern life. 

In earlier times, gutter language was characteristic of the lower classes. Today, the widespread use of obscenities reflects a more equal society. Research  suggests that some professionals resort to using swear terms to show they are not elitist.

American language watchers have noticed that more women swear nowadays, especially those who work in roles traditionally dominated by men.