Which Australians swear the most?
The survey found that the average Australian drops an expletive around 7 times per day, and that 29% of South Australians swear more than 16 times per day, while 54% of Western Australian residents swear less than 5 times per day, and 18% claim they don’t swear at all!
Interestingly, the research found that men swear more than women, and that Australians don’t swear to cause offense. Rather, 54% of us do it to relieve tension, and 24% use bad language for comedic effect.
Why do we swear?
“Swearing has many different functions, it can be used to signal frustration, to emphasise emotion, or to show solidarity,” says Senior Lecturer in Linguistics at Macquarie University, Dr Nick Wilson. “People have different viewpoints on swearing depending on their age and background. For some people it is part of their identity, for others it is deeply offensive.”
What makes us swear the most?
The survey found that everyday tasks cause us to swear the most. 41% of Aussies swear while driving – which was the number one reason for swearing in Australia. Household chores was the second most expletive-inducing activity, with 34% of Aussie’s dropping an F-bomb while cleaning. Our partners are also triggers for us to turn the air blue – 32% of us admit to swearing when arguing with a partner, as well as when watching the news, social media, or just being at work.
Food for thought, indeed.
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