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Russian mat

Mat (мат, матерщи́на, ма́терный язы́к) is a Russian patois language, based on the use of specific generally unprintable obscene words. Russian mat makes it possible to have a conversation (although not always insulting, but always emotional) using only obscene words, which is what sets Russian mat apart from the obsceneties of most languages. Russian mat is an indispensable attribute of any group consisting solely of males, only recently beginning to get into the females-only groups, and the practices of mat speaking in the mixed groups are to be reduced to the last twenty or thirty years. . Use of Russian mat in a public place constitutes a form of disorderly conduct, punishable under article 20.1.1 of the Offences Code of Russia.

Background

The origins of mat are lost in the mists of time. Russian anthropologists think that it evolved from ancient myth and magical beliefs. However, they offer divergent interpretations of the basic formula. It is commonly believed that the name mat derives from mat′ (Russian мать, "mother," where the prime represents the soft sign, which signals palatalization of the preceding t) The term might rather come from a word meaning "loud yell," which is now used in only a few expressions such as благим матом. The the use of mat is widespread, especially in the army, the criminal world, and many other all-male milieus. The basic formula of mat, in its most common variant, is: YOB TVOYU MAT' (fucked your mother), with the familiar "ty" form expressing contempt. In this variant the subject of the sentence is omitted, but there is also an expanded variant in which it is made explicit: PYES YOB TVOYU MAT' (a dog fucked your mother). 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' (blatnoi) customs, esthetic standards, and jargon (of which mat is part) penetrated the law-abiding population, especially the male adolescent subcultures of city courtyards. That mat belongs to the ancient layers of the Russian language (the first written mat words date to Middle Ages). 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. Non-native speakers of Russian are generally advised to be conservative about employing the terms or to shun them if they tend not to use their equivalents in their first language. A non-native speaker who attempts to use mat often unintentionally sounds ridiculous to Russian speakers.

Classical poetry with mat

Mikhail Lermontov ("Peterhof's holiday" - "Петергофский праздник", 1834

And so, I will not pay you

However, if you are a simple blyad'

You should consider it an honour

To be acquainted with the cadet's khuy!

Russian:

Итак, тебе не заплачу я:

Но если ты простая блядь,

То знай: за честь должна считать

Знакомство юнкерского хуя!

Ivan Barkov ("Luka Mudischev", prologue; actually, this work was probably written at some time in the mid 19th century, but was ascribed to Ivan Barkov, an equally obscene poet who lived in the 18th century )

Oh you, men' wives, or widows fair,

Or maids with 'cherry' there intact!

Let me tell you some humble fact

About fucking out there.

Make fucking fair and accurate,

The rarer fuck means fortunate -

The Holy God shall save all ya

From some disorderly ebnya.

As uncontrollable-kind passion,

Leads only to disaster's ashen,

And satisfied you won't be right

With usual elda-bearing knight.