Mat (Russian profanity)

Mat (Russian: мат; матерщи́на / ма́терный язы́к) is the term for strong obscene profanity in Russian and some other Slavic language communities. Use of mat is censored in the media and use of mat in public constitutes a form of disorderly conduct, punishable under article 20.1.1 of the Offences Code of Russia,^[1] although it is only enforced episodically,^[2] in particular due to vagueness of the legal definition.^[3] Despite the public ban, mat is used by Russians of all ages and in all social groups, with particular fervor in male-dominated military and the structurally similar social strata.^[4]

Etymology

It is commonly believed that the name мат mat derives from мать mat' , the Russian word for "mother". The term might also come from a word meaning "loud yell", which is now used in only a few expressions such as "благим матом".

History and use

Obscenities are among the earliest recorded attestations of the Russian language (the first written mat words date to Middle Ages^[5]). It was first introduced into literature in the 18th century by the poet Ivan Barkov, whose poetry, combining lofty lyrics with brutally obscene words, may be regarded as a forerunner of Russian literary parody.

The use of mat is widespread, especially in the army, the criminal world,^[6] and many other all-male milieus.

A detailed article by Victor Erofeyev (translated by Andrew Bromfeld) analyzing the history, overtones, and sociology of mat appeared in the 15 September 2003 issue of The New Yorker.

Mikhailin points also to the social influence of the criminal milieu through the labor camps, where criminals were favored and allowed to dominate the "political" prisoners. Thus thieves' (блатной, blatnoy) customs, aesthetic standards, and jargon (of which mat is a significant part) penetrated the law-abiding population, especially the male adolescent subcultures of city courtyards.

Key words and expressions

The first volume of the Great Dictionary of Mat by the Russian linguist and folklorist Alexei Plutser-Sarno (Большой словарь мата) treats only expressions with the stem khuy (huy), numbering over 500 entries; 12 volumes are planned.

The key elements of mat are:

• khuy (huy) (Russian  хуй (help·info)) — penis, or for equivalent colloquial effect, dick. The etymology of the term is unclear. Mainstream theories include: from Proto-Indo European (PIE) *ks-u-, related to khvoya (Russian "хвоя", meaning pine needles), attributed to Pederson, 1908.[2] [3]; from PIE *hau-, related to khvost (Russian "хвост", meaning tail), attributed to Merlingen, 1955 [4]; from Mongolian hui, meaning sheath, scabbard. This was the etymology endorsed by the Soviet government and attributed to Maxim Gorky, who claimed it was a loan word, imposed during Mongol yoke; from Latin huic (lit. "for that", used on prescriptions for genital diseases) via rederivation, similar to Russian zont from Dutch zondeck. Old Russian "ud/uda" (from PIE root *ud- meaning "up, out") became taboo in mid-18th century, requiring the euphemisms khui and kher. [5] [6] [7]; from the second-person singular imperative form of the Ukrainian khovaty "ховати", meaning hide, stash. Commonly regarded as a joke etymology.
  • An example of an expression, constructed entirely of different derivatives from the root khuy: Хуяк! Хуя нахуевертили! Хули нахуй, хуилы, нахуярили дохуя хуецкой хуевины? Охуели нахуй, хуеплеты хуевы? Нехуй хуевничать, расхуяривайте нахуй хуетень! Translation: "Wow! You did much too much! For what purpose, why did you, idiots, loaded such a huge amount of this crappy stuff? Are you totally crazy, stupid morons? Enough being lazy, unload this crap faster!"^{[citation needed]}
• pizda (Russian  пизда́ (help·info)) — cunt
  • from PIE *pizda ("vulva"), cf Lithuanian "pizda" and Albanian "pidh", and Latin pēdō 'I fart'.
• yebat′ (Russian  еба́ть (help·info)) — to fuck. from PIE *eibati , cf Old High German "eiba" and Sanskrit "yabhati".
  • "Ёб твою мать" (Yob tvoyu mat'), meaning "fucked your mother", with the familiar ты form implying contempt
  • Пёс ёб твою мать (Pyos yob tvoyu mat'), meaning "A male dog fucked your mother".^[7]
• blyad′ (Russian  блядь (help·whore, from PIE root cognate with English "blind"; the word was not banned from literary use at the time of Avvakum, who used it to describe various heresies and various expressions based on these terms (as the form of word "bludit′" блудить - to stray, or to fornicate)^{[citation needed]}. Also, the 15th century merchant-traveler Afanasii Nikitin used it simply as "concubine," without any obscene connotations.

Additionally, the following words are considered almost as offensive, and can also be regarded as mat:

• yelda (елда́) — "big dick";
• gondon (гондо́н) (гондон is Russian slang for "condom"), but it is a tabooed word and may be used figuratively, as an insult, with the meaning "unpleasant male";
• kher (хер) "cock"; somewhat less offensive than "khuy"; the actual meanings of kher is the old Russian name of the letter "X" Kha, which became strongly associated with the actual "khuy" (cf. the term "F-word" in English). Interestingly enough, the old word "pokherit'" which used to mean "to cross out," "to delete", now tends to be contaminated with the relatively new meaning of "kher" (i.e., obscene "penis"), thus achieving an obscene meaning, also.
• manda (манда́) — cunt
• mudak (муда́к) — "smart ass", "git". Another often-used derivative is mudilo (муди́ло) which only bears an abstract offensive meaning and is somewhat equal to "motherfucker." Sometimes, mudak and mudilo are used as equivalents of "moron," e.g. Вася - полный мудило, ему жена изменяет, а он радуется. - Vasya is a complete moron: his wife cheats on him, but he's still glad.
• mudi (mudya) (му́ди, мудя) — "testicles". Rarely used and considered old-fashioned.
• pidoras (пидора́с), a bastardization of pederast, meaning a male homosexual in Russian. The condensed forms pidor (пи́дор), "pedrila" (педри́ла) are also used. More often than not (though not necessarily), refers to a passive pederast. Often used as a general term like "asshole" or "motherfucker";
• zalupa (залу́па) means "penis head" (from old Russian "lupit'" - here, "to peel off" (like "lupit' jajtso" - "to peel off egg shell"); therefore, this is "what you can see when the foreskin is pulled back or removed"). "Zalupatsia" means "Playing the great man, giving oneself airs"; in A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, by Solzhenitsin, one of the inmates protests against something ("This is not sovietic!") and is punished for that; his comrades comment: "There was no need to Zalupatsia".
• drochit' (дрочи́ть) — "wank" (oneself or someone). drochit'sya' (дрочиться) - "to masturbate" (oneself). From Old Russian дрочити (to pet, to pamper)

The following words are considered vulgar and often used in mat expressions, but are not regarded as mat on its own:

• zhopa (жо́па), zadnitsa (за́дница) - ass, arse, butt
• govno (говно́) — shit. Cognate to Sanskrit guváti ("(he) defecates") and Avestan gūγa- ("shit"), from PIE. Note: this and its synonym der'mo (дерьмо́) are used as exclamations the way that "Shit!" is used in English.
• khren (хрен) - literally "horse-radish", but some may think that it is the mildest euphemism for "khuy"; khren, also means an unpleasant man, and khren' (хрень) is a milder term similar to bullshit, somewhat like crap, used in very similar fashion, both in exclamations and to indicate disbelief or disrespect
• srat' (срать) — "to shit"
• sraka (сра́ка) — "anus," "butt," "asshole", from the verb srat' (срать) - to defecate.
• ssat' (ссать) — "to piss"
• perd'et' (перде́ть) — "to fart"
• trakhat' (тра́хать) — to screw,hit,attack or assault.
• suka (су́ка) — "traitor", "rascal", "scumbag"; despite original meaning "bitch" (female dog), the term is unisex and is often used to refer men and has a dangerously pejorative connotation in the criminal world (see Suka Wars). English "bitch" about an unpleasant girl is maybe more equivalent to Russian "sterva", which is a rude word but not a major profanity (accepted in written texts).

Historical poetry with mat

Mikhail Lermontov, "A Holiday in Peterhof" - "Петергофский праздник", 1834)

And so, I will not pay you However, if you are a simple blyad' (bitch) You should consider it an honour To be acquainted with the cadet's khuy (dick)!

Итак, тебе не заплачу я: Но если ты простая блядь, То знай: за честь должна считать Знакомство юнкерского хуя!

"Luka Mudischhev", prologue; this work was probably written at some time in the mid 19th century, but often it was ascribed to Ivan Barkov, an equally obscene poet who lived in the 18th century^[8]

Oh you, men' wives, or widows fair, Or maids with 'cherry' there intact! Let me tell you some humble fact About fucking out there.

О вы, замужние, о вдовы, О девки с целкой наотлёт! Позвольте мне вам наперёд Сказать о ебле два-три слова.

See also

• Russian joke: Taboo vocabulary
• Russian proverbs
• Fenya
• Leningrad, a Russian ska/punk band famous for its vulgar lyrics

Notes

1. ^ (Russian) Article 20.1 of the Offences code 08.12.2003 edition "нарушение общественного порядка, выражающее явное неуважение к обществу, сопровождающееся нецензурной бранью в общественных местах ... влечет наложение административного штрафа в размере от пятисот до одной тысячи рублей или административный арест на срок до пятнадцати суток" (disorderly conduct displaying explicit disrespect to society, accompanied by obscene language in public ... is punishable by a fine from 500 to 1000 rubles or arrest up to 15 days)
2. ^ (Russian) Задержанных на юго-востоке Москвы хулиганов оштрафуют за мат (Detained in south-east Moscow, the hooligans will pay fines for mat) at Lenta.Ru, 01-23-2008
3. ^ (Russian) Министерство связи определит понятие нецензурной речи (Department of communications will define "obscene language") at Lenta.Ru, 06-24-2009
4. ^ (English) Mikhailin, Vadim (2004-09-29). "Russian Army Mat as a Code System Controlling Behaviour in the Russian army". The Journal of Power Institutions in Post-Soviet Societies 2004 (1). http://www.pipss.org/index93.html. Retrieved 07-01-2009. 
5. ^ Obscene lexics in birch bark documents
6. ^ [1](Russian)
7. ^ http://www.cdi.org/russia/johnson/8513.cfm#2 Mat JRL RESEARCH & ANALYTICAL SUPPLEMENT ~ JRL 8290 Issue No. 28 • December 2004
8. ^ http://barkoviana.narod.ru/luka_preface.html «Лука Мудищев» — история и мифология расхожие заблуждения ("Luka Mudischev" - The History and Mythology: Widespread Misconceptions) (Russian) accessed Aug 8, 2008

External links

• Русский мат с Алексеем Плуцером-Сарно - The online version of the Dictionary of Russian mat by Alexei Plutser-Sarno (Russian)
• Russian slang explained in English, French and German
• Cited portions of a The New Yorker article.
• Mikhailin, Vadim, 2004, Essay: Russian Army Mat as a Code System Controlling Behaviour in the Russian army, The Journal of Power Institutions in Post-Soviet Societies