Re: Russian 'Mat' (was: Re: What's so archaic about Lithuania?)

From: Igor Sklar (sklar2002_at_yandex.ru)
Date: 08/31/04 

Date: 31 Aug 2004 00:01:34 -0700

Marc Adler <marc.adler@gmail.com> wrote in message news:<N8JYc.16637$Bt5.7423@twister.socal.rr.com>...
> Since Russian
> affixes are more productive (and more expressive) than affixes are in
> English, and since they have more taboo words (and roots) in Russian,
> the breadth and variety of the expressions that they can come up with is
> astounding, especially when it's done with skill.
>
> Is it the same in other Slavic languages?

Although I'm by no means competent to judge about it, it seems like
there are no taboo words left in English. The words like "***" or
"***" may be heard in every second Hollywood movie. Other words -
"***", "***", etc - have other, quite harmless and acceptable
meanings, so their sound shouldn't strike an English ear as something
very obscene. In Russian, you have a dozen words which are absolutely
taboo (in print, tv or film) and innumerable derivatives from these.
There is general trend to avoid using words which sound even remotely
resembles the taboo ones.

regards

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