February 3 - World Day Against Abusive Language: History and Traditions

Every year on February 3, Russia and other countries celebrate an unusual date - the World Day Against Abusive Language. Its purpose is to draw attention to the problem of using obscene expressions in everyday speech and to remind about the importance of literate, respectful, cultural communication. In 2025 the holiday falls on Monday. Read about the history and traditions of the celebration in the material "Izvestia".

What is profanity

Speech is not just a way of exchanging information, it also serves as an indicator of the level of culture of the speaker. The manner of communication forms the first impression of a person, affects the attitude towards him in society and even career prospects.

The problem of using abnormal language remains relevant throughout the history of human society. In some situations and social groups, distinguished by age, professional affiliation, occupation or hobby, it does not cause censure or condemnation, being, in fact, a part of culture. Therefore, despite the unofficial taboo, it does not disappear from the lexicon.

Nonnormative vocabulary in most citizens is associated exclusively with foul language. However, this term is broader. It includes not only obscene vocabulary proper (from Latin obscenus "obscene, profane, immoral"), i.e. directly swearing, mat, profanity. It also includes jargonisms, slang. Unlike mat, which is perceived as socially unacceptable, such expressions are not prohibited, but go beyond the limits of the literary language.

World Day against profanity on February 3: history

The fight against profanity has a long history, in different eras this problem was perceived and solved in different ways.

In ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, the use of obscene expressions and swear words was censured. For example, in Ancient Greece, philosophers such as Socrates and Plato preached moral purity of speech.

In the Middle Ages, an era dominated by Christian morality, profanity was equated with sin. Church scriptures condemned the use of offensive words, and some countries even passed legislation punishing their use.

During the Renaissance, with the development of humanism and enlightenment ideas, profanity began to be perceived not as a sin, but as an action that violated public order. During this period, freer forms of expression began to appear in literature and on the theatrical stage, but the use of profanity in public speeches was unequivocally condemned.

In the XIX century, a number of countries tried to solve this problem at the legislative level. For example, in Europe and the United States, laws were passed against obscene language in public places.

In the XX century there was an increase in the use of obscene language in music, cinema and literature. In contrast to this trend and against the background of the emergence of new forms of media, profanity began to be subject to strict censorship. For example, in the United States in 1930, the Association of Motion Picture Producers and Distributors adopted the Hayes Code, which regulated the "norms of decency" in Hollywood.

In 1934, this document became the unofficial current national "standard of morality" for filmmaking. It provided for a number of restrictions on the use of profanity, obscene language, and gestures in movies. Similar censorship of public speech and theatrical productions also occurred in other countries.

After World War II and during the social changes of the 1950s and 60s, the West began to liberalize views on morality and speech. And with the growing popularity of rock music, rap music and other genres, the use of profanity in the arts became increasingly common. In 1985 in the U.S., an organization called PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center) was established in the U.S., which proposed to equip CDs with special notices about the presence of undesirable, in their opinion, content in the lyrics of songs.

In the 1990s, movies, music, television and even advertising became even more explicit. At this time, a new wave of tolerance for such expressions emerged, especially among the powers that be who saw them as part of free expression. This was linked to the rise of "countercultural" movements, as well as the growing influence of the Internet. By this time, laws restricting profanity in the arts had begun to loosen in a number of countries, but it was still considered inappropriate in official speech and on television.

In recent years, the fight against profanity has spread across social media and the Internet. Interestingly, some cultures, such as Japan and Korea, have stricter social norms that regulate the possibility of using insults in speech, especially in official contexts.

In Russia, the fight against profanity has its own history, which is linked to both cultural norms and politics.

In the IX-X centuries in the legislation of Kievan Rus there were norms prohibiting insults and offenses. The use of swear words or blasphemous expressions was often perceived as a sin, a violation of Orthodox morality.

During the reign of Peter the Great, the process of Europeanization of Russia began. The tsar carried out reforms that affected norms of behavior, appearance, and even language in an effort to foster a more disciplined and cultured society.

Until the 1917 revolution, Russian law remained strict with regard to moral standards, and fines, arrests, or other penalties were often imposed for public insults.

With the advent of Soviet power, the ideological emphasis shifted to the education of collectivism. Beginning in the 1920s, the USSR actively fought "foul language" as elements of "bourgeois culture" and "counter-revolution" that contradicted communist morality. In the late Soviet period, there was an increase in public condemnation of profanity, and increased censorship in movies, theaters, and in everyday speech.

In the post-Soviet period, the topic of fighting profanity became relevant again, especially with the development of mass media and the Internet. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, society became more tolerant of some forms of profanity in art, cinema and music, which required the adoption of new control measures.

In 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law establishing a ban on the use of profanity in movies, theater and other cultural events, as well as on the Internet.

World Day against profanity - 2025: traditions of celebration

As part of the celebration of the World Day against profanity, various events are held to improve language culture.

On this day, various educational institutions organize educational lectures and seminars, experts in the field of linguistics and psychology discuss the impact of profanity on society and personality. There are also theater performances, literary readings and other events promoting purity of speech.

Earlier "Izvestia" told about the history and traditions of the Day of the Russian Language.