Puss on tongue. Tongue Abscess: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment of Oral Infections

15.07.202309.07.2023 by alexxlab

What are the symptoms of a tongue abscess. How is a tongue abscess diagnosed and treated. What factors contribute to the development of tongue infections. How can tongue abscesses be prevented.

Understanding Tongue Abscesses: A Rare but Serious Oral Condition

Tongue abscesses are uncommon but potentially dangerous oral infections that can compromise breathing and swallowing if left untreated. Despite the tongue’s natural defenses against infection, abscesses can develop under certain circumstances, leading to painful swelling and potential airway obstruction. This article explores the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of tongue abscesses based on medical literature and case studies.

Anatomy and Natural Defenses of the Tongue

The tongue possesses several inherent characteristics that typically protect it from infection:

Strong keratinized epithelium
Dense muscular structure
Rich blood supply
Extensive lymphatic drainage
Constant bathing in antibacterial saliva

These factors combine to create an environment that is generally resistant to bacterial colonization and abscess formation. However, when these defenses are compromised, the risk of infection increases significantly.

Risk Factors and Causes of Tongue Abscesses

Several factors can contribute to the development of a tongue abscess:

Trauma to the tongue
Foreign body penetration
Dental infections
Poor oral hygiene
Immunocompromised states
Chronic habits like tobacco or khat use

In the case study presented, the patient’s history of khat chewing and poor oral hygiene likely contributed to his tongue abscess. Chronic irritation and decreased oral health can create an environment conducive to bacterial overgrowth and infection.

Recognizing the Symptoms of a Tongue Abscess

Early recognition of tongue abscess symptoms is crucial for prompt treatment. Common signs and symptoms include:

Localized swelling or lump in the tongue
Severe, throbbing pain
Pain radiating to the ears
Fever
Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
Limited tongue movement
Shortness of breath (in severe cases)
Drooling

The patient in the case study exhibited many of these classic symptoms, including severe pain, swelling, fever, and difficulty swallowing and breathing. These symptoms rapidly progressed over just three days, highlighting the potentially urgent nature of tongue abscesses.

Diagnosing a Tongue Abscess: Clinical Examination and Imaging

Diagnosis of a tongue abscess typically involves a combination of clinical examination and imaging studies:

Clinical Examination

A thorough oral examination is essential. Key findings may include:

Visible swelling or asymmetry of the tongue
Erythema (redness) of the affected area
Fluctuance (a soft, fluid-filled sensation) upon palpation
Limited tongue mobility
Evidence of poor oral hygiene or dental decay

Imaging Studies

While not always necessary, imaging can help confirm the diagnosis and determine the extent of the abscess:

Ultrasound: Offers real-time visualization of fluid collections
CT scan: Provides detailed cross-sectional images of the oral cavity
MRI: Offers high-resolution soft tissue imaging

In the presented case, the diagnosis was made primarily through clinical examination, with the characteristic swelling, erythema, and fluctuance noted on the left anterolateral aspect of the tongue.

Treatment Approaches for Tongue Abscesses

The management of tongue abscesses typically involves a multi-faceted approach:

1. Incision and Drainage

The primary treatment for a tongue abscess is surgical drainage. This procedure involves:

Making an incision over the fluctuant area
Evacuating the purulent material
Irrigating the abscess cavity
Potentially placing a drain to prevent reaccumulation

In the case study, the patient underwent incision and drainage under general anesthesia, with approximately 30mL of thick pus evacuated. The cavity was then irrigated with normal saline and hydrogen peroxide.

2. Antibiotic Therapy

Broad-spectrum antibiotics are typically prescribed to combat the infection. The antibiotic regimen should cover both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria commonly found in oral infections. Common choices include:

Amoxicillin-clavulanate
Clindamycin
Metronidazole (in combination with other antibiotics)

The specific antibiotic choice may be adjusted based on culture results if available.

3. Supportive Care

Additional supportive measures may include:

Pain management
Intravenous fluids if dehydration is present
Monitoring of airway status
Oral hygiene instruction

In severe cases or those involving the base of the tongue, airway management may be necessary, potentially including intubation or tracheostomy.

Potential Complications and Prognosis

While most tongue abscesses resolve with appropriate treatment, potential complications can include:

Airway obstruction
Spread of infection to deep neck spaces
Sepsis
Recurrence if underlying factors are not addressed

With prompt diagnosis and treatment, the prognosis for tongue abscesses is generally good. In the presented case, the patient was discharged after two days of hospital stay with stable vital signs and improvement in symptoms.

Prevention and Long-term Management

Preventing tongue abscesses and reducing the risk of recurrence involves addressing underlying risk factors:

Maintaining good oral hygiene
Regular dental check-ups and prompt treatment of dental infections
Avoiding harmful oral habits like tobacco or khat use
Managing underlying medical conditions that may compromise immune function

For individuals with a history of tongue abscess, close follow-up and vigilance for early signs of recurrence are important.

Conclusion and Future Directions in Tongue Abscess Management

Tongue abscesses, while rare, remain a significant clinical challenge due to their potential for rapid progression and airway compromise. The case study presented highlights the importance of prompt recognition and treatment of these infections. As our understanding of oral microbiology and host-pathogen interactions continues to evolve, future research may lead to improved diagnostic techniques and targeted therapies for tongue abscesses.

Areas for potential future investigation include:

Development of rapid, point-of-care diagnostic tests for oral infections
Exploration of novel antimicrobial agents specifically designed for oral use
Investigation of the role of the oral microbiome in abscess formation and prevention
Refinement of minimally invasive drainage techniques

By continuing to advance our knowledge and treatment approaches, we can further improve outcomes for patients with tongue abscesses and other oral infections.

Tongue Abscess: A Case Report

Journal List
Int Med Case Rep J
v.15; 2022
PMC9809373

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the contents by NLM or the National Institutes of Health.

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Int Med Case Rep J. 2022; 15: 769–772.

Published online 2022 Dec 30. doi: 10.2147/IMCRJ.S399020

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Introduction

Abscess of the tongue is a very rare disease that potentially compromises the airway. Acute tongue abscess symptoms include swelling or a lump in the deep tissues of the tongue, throbbing local pain, a discomfort that radiates to the ears, fever, difficulty swallowing, deliberate fixation of the tongue due to pain, and eventually, difficulties breathing.

Case

This is a 50-year-old male patient who presented with a complaint of severe tongue pain and swelling of three days duration. Associated with this, he had pain while swallowing, difficulty opening his mouth, shortness of breath, and drooling saliva. Likewise, he had a high-grade fever and a global type of headache. On physical examination, there was significant tongue swelling on the left anterolateral area, fluctuant on palpation, and had erythematous border. After informed consent was taken the patient was transferred to the operation room with the diagnosis of tongue abscess. Subsequently, incision and drainage were done under general anesthesia, and about 30mL of thick pus was drained. The pocket was washed with normal saline and 2% hydrogen peroxide. The patient was transferred to the surgical ward with stable vital signs and had been on antibiotics. He was discharged after two days of hospital stay.

Conclusion

Abscesses in the tongue are quite uncommon due to its rich vascular supply, lymphatic drainage, and saliva’s immunologic advantage. Thorough diagnosis and successful treatment of tongue abscess prevent potential airway compromise. Antibiotic treatment should cover gram-positive and gram-negative anaerobes.

Keywords: tongue abscess, khat chewing, sonography

Abscess of the tongue is a very rare disease that potentially compromises the airway.¹ The tongue’s strong keratinized epithelium, the density of its muscle compartments, its rich vasculature, and the bactericidal properties of saliva all serve to prevent infection.² However, when host defense mechanisms are impaired, tongue abscesses are more likely to occur. Breached surface barriers, foreign bodies, and immunodeficiency states predispose to tongue infections. ³ Acute tongue abscess symptoms include swelling or a lump in the deep tissues of the tongue, throbbing local pain, a discomfort that radiates to the ears, fever, difficulty swallowing, deliberate fixation of the tongue due to pain, and eventually, difficulties breathing.⁴ Therefore, it is crucial to identify tongue infections as soon as possible and treat them as an emergency, especially if dyspnea and dysphagia are present. In particular, if left untreated, abscesses around the root of the tongue could be lethal.⁵ These lesions should be opened and drained once diagnosed.⁶

This is a 50-year-old male patient who presented with a complaint of severe tongue pain and swelling of three days duration. Associated with this, he had pain while swallowing, difficulty opening his mouth, shortness of breath, and drooling saliva. Likewise, he had a high-grade fever and a global type of headache. Otherwise, he had no trauma to his tongue, no recent dental or oral procedures, no history of cigarette smoking, and no history of chronic medical illness like diabetes mellitus, cardiac disease, and hypertension. Historically, he had severe standing dental pain for the past six months prior to his current complaint. He has been chewing khat since his childhood and had poor oral hygiene.

On physical examination, he was acutely sick looking and his vital signs were, blood pressure 115 by 70 mmHg, pulse rate 120 beats per minute, respiratory rate 20, temperature 39 degrees centigrade, and oxygen saturation 92% off oxygen. On HEENT examination there was significant tongue swelling on the left anterolateral area, fluctuant on palpation, and had a erythematous border (). There is multiple teeth decay in both maxillary and mandibular areas. There were no pertinent findings on the remaining systems.

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Swollen tongue on the left anterolateral border found during physical examination.

After informed consent was taken the patient was transferred to the operation room with the diagnosis of tongue abscess. Subsequently, incision and drainage were done under general anesthesia, and about 30mL of thick pus was drained. The pocket was washed with normal saline and 2% hydrogen peroxide. The patient was transferred to the surgical ward with stable vital signs and had been on ceftriaxone 1 gm iv twice daily (BID) and metronidazole 500 mg iv three times per day (TID) for two days. He was discharged after two days of hospital stay with improvement and Augmentin 625 mg PO TID for five days.

Abscesses in the tongue are quite uncommon that occur in immunocompromised patients or healthy persons with pierced tongues.³ Although the tongue is exposed to numerous possible pathogens, it is comparatively immune to infection.⁴ The regular movement of the tongue, which enables the saliva to continuously generate a cleansing effect, as well as its thick layer of keratinized mucosa, which is resistant to microbial penetration; muscle tissue, which makes up the majority of its parenchyma and with its rich circulatory supply; rich lymphatic drainage; and saliva’s immunologic characteristics.⁷^,⁸

A variety of conditions, including tumors, cysts, infarctions, edema, infections, hemorrhages, metabolic macroglossia in hyperpituitarism or hypothyroidism, developmental macroglossia in lingual thyroid, and ectopic lymphoid tissue are included in the differential diagnosis of tongue abscess. ⁹^,¹⁰ Most tongue abscesses are unilateral and located in the anterior two-thirds of the tongue.¹¹ The same is true for this patient which is located in the left anterolateral part of the tongue. A painful swelling that causes the tongue to protrude, dysphagia, odynophagia, and speech impairment are common symptoms of tongue abscesses.¹²^,¹³ The current patient also experienced severe tongue pain and swelling. Along with this, he experienced pain while swallowing, trouble opening his mouth, shortness of breath, and dribbling of saliva. He also had a high-grade fever and headache. The possible explanation for the abscess may be long-standing poor oral hygiene. This might be due to the fact that the patient was chewing the khat since his childhood.

There are two forms of tongue abscess; superficial and deep. The inflammatory process of a superficial abscess is situated right below the mucosal membrane. The back of the tongue is the primary place. It is uncomfortable to touch and is dense and swollen. With such a configuration, a pathological focus can open and spontaneously drain. After that, the patient feels a reduction in pain and a decrease in swelling. Even though the tongue wound might epithelialize fast, an abscess relapse is likely if the lesion is not properly treated.⁶ The inflammation of the deep tongue muscle tissue is a characteristic of deep abscesses. The course is more severe, with a 38 to 39 degree centigrade temperature, overall weakness, appetite loss, and headaches. A thorough physical examination reveals a significant increase in swelling of the tongue. This could impair speech and food intake. In severe circumstances, the patient has trouble even drinking liquids or breathing through their mouth. Patients with severe conditions can appear with upper airway blockage that necessitates an emergency tracheostomy.⁸ Typically, submandibular lymph nodes expand quickly, becoming painful yet movable. ⁶

Sonography, CT, and MR imaging are just a few of the imaging methods that can be utilized to assess tongue swellings.⁷^,⁸^,¹⁰ Although vascular lesions and abscesses are defined and distinguished by ultrasonography, using the transducer in the mouth is challenging.¹⁴ It has been observed that a lingual abscess appears on sonography as a hypoechoic lesion surrounded by a hyperechoic ring. However, sonography is not always practical since if the tongue is swollen and squeezed, the patient may feel discomfort or severe pain.⁷^,⁸

A correct diagnosis is the first step in the successful treatment of tongue abscesses, which also includes maintaining the airway, performing an incision, and drainage. Next, the proper antibiotic therapy should target Streptococci, Staphylococci, and Gram-negative anaerobes. Since continuous nidus of infection can cause an abscess to return, aspiration alone is frequently insufficient therapy and must be combined with incision and drainage. ⁶

Abscesses in the tongue are quite uncommon due to its rich circulatory supply; lymphatic drainage; and saliva’s immunologic characteristics. Thorough diagnosis and successful treatment of tongue abscess include maintaining the airway, performing an incision, and drainage. Antibiotic treatment should cover gram-positive and gram-negative anaerobes.

There is no funding to report.

Data on the case clinical information, informed consent form, and images are available for review from the corresponding author upon request.

No ethical approval is required for this case report.

Informed written consent was taken from the patient.

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest in this work.

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Articles from International Medical Case Reports Journal are provided here courtesy of Dove Press

Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, and More

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

Medically Reviewed by Robert Brennan on April 27, 2023

What Causes Ludwig’s Angina?
What Else Increases Your Risk for Ludwig’s Angina?
What Are the Signs and Symptoms?
How Do You Diagnose Ludwig’s Angina?
What Are the Treatment Options?
What Are the Complications?
Can You Prevent Ludwig’s Angina?
More

Ludwig’s angina is a rare but serious bacterial skin infection that affects your mouth, neck, and jaw. Considered a type of cellulitis, Ludwig’s angina spreads rapidly to infect the soft tissues underneath your tongue.

This serious condition is more common in adults than children. The infection causes the tongue to rise as the infection spreads and may result in breathing difficulties or blockage if left untreated.

Bacteria from dental infections or poor oral hygiene are the cause of this skin infection. You can develop Ludwig’s angina if you get a cavity or tooth abscess – often in your second and third molars – or you get periodontitis or gingivitis.

Streptococcal and staphylococcal bacteria are the most common types of bacteria that lead to Ludwig’s angina, especially Streptococcus viridans, Staphylococcus epidermis, and Staphylococcus aureus.

You might be at risk for developing Ludwig’s angina if you have any of the following:

Jawbone fracture
Tongue piercing
Jawbone infection
Mouth injury
Tonsil abscess
Salivary gland infection
Thyroglossal cyst

Oral hygiene is important for many reasons, including reducing your risk for serious conditions like Ludwig’s angina.

You often experience fever, mouth pain, neck swelling, and a swollen tongue when you have Ludwig’s angina.‌

Other symptoms you may experience include:

Chills
Neck pain and stiffness
Sore throat
Pain when swallowing
Difficulties swallowing
Drooling
Reduced opening of the jaw
Slurred speech
Ear pain

Severe cases of Ludwig’s angina, or when left untreated, can cause symptoms like:

Chest pain
Difficulties breathing or near blockage
Confusion and difficulties thinking
Severe dehydration

Your doctor will give you a physical examination to check your neck, jaw, lymph nodes, the inside of your mouth, your chest, and lungs. In most cases, this physical exam shows enough symptoms to diagnose Ludwig’s angina.

‌If your doctor can’t make the diagnosis, they may order blood and salivary cultures to check for bacteria. They may also order a computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan using contrast dye. These procedures scan your mouth, neck, and jaw to look for swelling, gas, pus, or inflammation.

Ludwig’s angina is a serious infection that can spread rapidly. It needs immediate treatment to get the infection under control and ensure your airway remains open.

The first treatment is to make sure you can breathe properly. If your breathing is partially restricted, you may receive a breathing tube through your mouth or nose. If your breathing is severely restricted, you will receive a tracheotomy surgical procedure to insert a breathing tube into your windpipe.

Ludwig’s angina causes a lot of fluid buildup in the neck and jaw area, so it’s important to drain this fluid so you can get relief. Doctors make an incision to drain the fluid and help you breathe easier.

You will also receive intravenous (IV) antibiotics that help treat bacteria in the mouth. Once your infection clears, your doctor may give you a prescription for oral antibiotics to ensure the symptoms don’t return.

With immediate treatment, you can expect a good recovery with minimal to no lasting effects. However, there are numerous complications of having Ludwig’s angina if it’s left untreated.

You may develop serious or life-threatening complications such as:

Sepsis
Septic shock
Lung infection with pus
Suffocation
Heart inflammation or infection
Blood clot in the neck
Aneurysm bulge in the carotid artery
Chest inflammation

These complications could even lead to premature death because the infection spreads so quickly and can block airflow. Immediate treatment for Ludwig’s angina is the best course of action.

‌In most cases, you can help prevent this rare but serious skin infection.

One of the first preventive measures should be good oral hygiene. Make sure you brush and floss your teeth each day and see a dentist for regular cleanings. During your appointment, your dentist will check for signs of tooth decay, infection, or plaque buildup.

You should try to avoid tongue piercings and other mouth piercings that could let bacteria invade the jawbone and soft tissues. And if you have any dental pain, gum bleeding, or loose teeth, make an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible.

Along with regular dental checkups, get regular doctor checkups and keep your doctor informed about any dental infections you had. They may order blood cultures and blood tests to check for signs of lingering infection.

With good care and a healthy diet, you can reduce your risk of getting Ludwig’s angina.

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The words also indicate the location of the organ on the body (front, front, bottom, down, low place), the nature of the location, the relief (hole, hole), size (half a meter, up to the knee, dragging along the floor). The last type in its Homeric expression is very common in folklore: “No firewood, the end is up to the knee.” A separate group of euphemisms indicates the appearance – hair covering (lokhmatina, mokhnatina): “I was under the spruce, I was under the overcoat, I provoked the young man, I didn’t give the fur.” By the way, among the numerous euphemisms of sexual intercourse there are phraseological units thematically close to this group – “dressing the skin”, “removing the wool from the skin”. The words “crest”, “tuft” can mean vegetation on the pubis. The absence of hairline indicates the immaturity of the girl: “I wanted to get married in the fall, but thought it off for a year. The young girl did not have a crest.”
The metaphor of the penis can be associated with the function of urination (pikushka, squeak) or with the childbearing function (birth, childbirth; marriage) (example: “The wife has grown up, but you don’t have a mind”), indicate the integrity of the virgin hymen (virgin soil, virgin) or, conversely, the sophistication of a woman (a torn hole, a whole plate). It can reflect the attitude of the speaker (shame, shameful place, sinner, sramentina).
Separately, we single out numerous subject metaphors (stick, stake, log, mallet, toy, rattle, suitcase, chest, shell). And already within this group – a subgroup with food euphemisms (pie, meat, sausage, cucumber, carrot, radish, horseradish, corn): “The guy tickled the girl, the girl laughed, treated the sausage – the girl did not accept”; “Do not go, girls, to marry Ivan Kuzin: Ivan Kuzin has a big corn.” There is also a subgroup of words denoting various tools and weapons (chisel, mallet, spear, pen and inkwell, leather knife, piston, musket). We see a curious metaphor of copulation as dipping a pen into an ink bottle in a folk song: “Let him take out his white feather naked, put the feather into the ink bottle. Ivan began to write, Dunya began to scream. Stop, Dunyasha, don’t shout, just keep quiet for an hour. Obotretse, obomnetse, everything will go on as before. When the lobes get wet, the ears always hurt. When a virgin is broken, the edges always hurt.”
In our studies, we also recorded the vegetable code (hay, root, knot, soft tree, cucumber, horseradish, cone), anthropomorphic, i.e. anthropoid (lady, mother, sister, godfather, queen; father, comrade). In folk riddles, quasi-words (pseudo-words that are not used by themselves) are common: kuraleika, khundyrechek, shaida-maida, shanta-panta, haya-vaya, kunka-munka, kundrik-mundrik, hunder-munder. For example, the riddle: “Without the father’s skewer, shantya-mantya would have overgrown with my grandmother” (the answer is a plow and earth).
What type of metaphor is used most often and why?
In the North, zoological and subject metaphors are most common. The zoological code is words such as chicken, chicken, rooster, kutka, kunka, marten, sable, although the pair “chicken” and “rooster” is most often represented (however, not only the female, but also the male genital organ can be called a chicken) . The name of the female genitalia regularly uses the names of fur-bearing animals, as well as names associated with hairiness and wool. The linguist Boris Uspensky explained this with the symbolism of wealth and fertility. Now in Russian the female genital organ is often called the word “pussy”, but this came to us from Hollywood films, in the folk language we do not fix this. The names of fish are also euphemisms for the female genital organ: “flounder” or “pollack”. “Saida” met in the Vologda dialects.
Are there any euphemisms associated with proper names in Russian?
In anthropomorphic metaphors we find such examples: “You cannot cover your Mironya with your palm” (palm). We also met versions of “Manka”, “Makarikha”. But we did not fix proper names in relation to male genital organs. This practice is common in English and American traditions – for example, they use the name “Dick”.
How do euphemisms arise and how do ordinary words suddenly acquire new meanings?
Grammar “morphological” marker: as a euphemism, a word is chosen that is grammatically close to obscene: “fucking”, “fucking”. The lexemes “gretit”, “edrit”, “edrit” do not have their own meanings and exist only as doubles for obscene words. The construction “your mother” is often preserved when replacing the obscene element with an unswearing word: mother your balls, mother your infection, mother your leg, mother your soul, your mother’s leshaki.
We often see binomial rhyming combinations using the “echo word”: yok-root, yok-makayok, yok-makaryo, yoma-porema, yo-myo. The initial phonetic marker [jo] is also important here.
How did the ETM turnover come about and what does it mean?
The main problem of this turnover (let’s call it “had your mother”) is the uncertainty of the subject of the action. In the current, three-term version of the phraseological unit, it is not clear who exactly had a mother, the past tense form of the verb does not give an answer to this either (you can say “I had your mother”, and “you had …”, and “he had …”).
The most famous version of the explanation of the meaning of this phraseological unit belongs to Boris Uspensky. Having examined the vast material of ancient manuscripts and modern field records from the side of the object of action – the mother, he connected the expression YoTM with the cult of the earth-mother, the Virgin and the native mother. He considers the dog to be the subject of the action (not recorded in the Russian version, but preserved in some other Slavic languages). In Arkhangelsk dialects, as well as in manuscripts, there are no examples of a four-term variant of a phraseological unit (such as “someone had your mother”). But if we take into account such a hypothesis, the lost first member could not only be a dog. Maybe there was variability: dog, devil, demon, devil, goblin, etc. Then the meaning of the expression YoTM is to insult the interlocutor: “someone (dog, devil, goblin) was with your mother – therefore, you are illegitimate.” Hence the insults pointing to an unworthy origin: “damn (goblin, dog, dog) son”, “devil (goblin, dog, bitch, encore) children (daughters)”.
But there is another point of view. The linguist Gennady Kovalev believes that this turnover initially contained an indication of the first person, that is, “I had …”. He refers to the ethnographer Dmitry Zelenin, who noted that many Russian insults emphasize the youth and inexperience of the object of abuse (“baby sucker”, “puppy”, etc.). Saying ЁТМ, the swearing one exposes himself as if the father of the one whom he scolds, and the idiom itself means, in fact, “I am your father!” or “I could be your father!”. Kovalev writes: “This expression can be attributed to a very ancient period; the end of the era of matriarchy and the folding of patriarchy. And its value already at that time was by no means obscene, but rather property. The one who had the mother of the clan became the master of the clan. Therefore, the ancient meaning of the expression YoTM had to be understood as “I am now your father” or “I am now the owner of everything that belonged to you.” The rethinking of the subject of action (from the first person to the third) Kovalev considers a later phenomenon: “Most likely, the expression with “I” was primary. It was not offensive at all, although it meant copulation. However, it did not mean sex, not abuse as such, but determined only power, or rather the possession of power in a different kind.
I agree with this point of view. In addition, indirect evidence of the primacy of the grammatical first (not third) person is the prohibition of swearing by a woman. Because in this case, the phrase in which the object and the subject coincide completely loses its meaning. Most likely, this provoked a further ethical prohibition for women to swear.
Does it happen that euphemisms of swear words themselves become obscene?
On the one hand, euphemisms are not considered obscene – they exist to replace a rude word with a non-rude one. On the other hand, we can observe how a frequently used euphemism takes over all the functions of the replaced word and the new word itself becomes forbidden. Such is the fate of the word “dick”. Initially, this is the name of the letter “x” in the Cyrillic alphabet, but it turned out to be a complete analogue of the replaced word, including all figurative meanings and all phraseology. Now the word “horseradish” claims the same place.
If the search for euphemisms is a natural process, does this mean that swearing is perceived by people as an unambiguously bad thing?
In folk tradition, swearing is considered absolutely forbidden for women: swearing, a woman insults her mother, Mother Mary and the damp earth (“A woman swears – the whole earth will shake”). In modern and rural and urban society, it is also believed that one should not use a mat in front of women and children. Our informants disapprovingly recall fellow villagers who “wouldn’t say a word without a uterus,” and wish the girls a groom “who doesn’t drink, who doesn’t swear, who doesn’t smoke.” At the same time, they admit that they themselves often use swear words: “When I get angry, upset, I’ll say swear – it’s also a sin”, “Sometimes I swear – when I’m annoyed”, “And this swear word is harmless, he, as they say, for a bunch of words”, “For laughter screwed matyuga”.
In what contexts is mate acceptable?
In folk culture, swearing is acceptable as a talisman against evil spirits. Obscene abuse in the function of a talisman is sometimes equated with prayer: “We need to collect all the gods in a heap, pray, he, they say, is afraid of the continents. The continents, they say, are afraid of Leshak. Why is the evil spirit suddenly afraid of swearing in the same way as prayers? Previously, God and the Mother of God were constantly mentioned in swearing: “And his mats are so blasphemous – he will drag both God and the Mother of God. Women did not swear, but the men swear, and swear at God. Mother of God. And Christ. Although my men are swearing, young people now do not swear at God. In the past, my mother used to guard everything. Mother of God and mother of Christ. We don’t have mats now. These grandfathers are old” (from an interview with an informant). Apparently, the frequent commemoration of the saints, God and the Mother of God in abusive statements and frightens the evil spirits.
How and when did the word “sex” appear in the Russian language, and how was sexual intercourse meant before it appeared?
The word “sex” in the sense of copulation in English-speaking countries appeared only in 1929, and the word “sexy” – in 1959. According to the National Corpus of the Russian Language, the use of the word “sex” has increased dramatically since the 1960s, peaking at the beginning of the 21st century. However, this word is not found in dialects at all. Even after the appearance of the word “sex”, people continue to use its many Russian equivalents. Not only the obscene word “****”, but also numerous “decent” synonyms: copulation, love, sex life, intimate life, sexual intercourse, relationships, close relationships, intercourse, etc.
Copulation is denoted by a huge number of verbs and phrases. The phrase “They live together” can be “translated” as “They sleep together”, i.e. cohabitate, have sex. The words give, walk, fornicate, fight, ride (“a guy rides a girl”), live, sleep, sin, poke, fuck, push, shove, pull out, stick, plant, scrape, rake can be associated with copulation; phraseological units “to bend the skids”, “to make butter” and so on. I have not yet collected this vocabulary on purpose, but it seems that several hundred verbs should be typed. In any case, most of the euphemisms of coitus, apparently, go back to the meaning of “hit”, “hit” (let me remind you that the swear verb “*****” was also originally used in a similar meaning). The most striking example is the verb “fuck (sya)”. It always seemed to me that this verb acquired its erotic meaning at the end of 1980s, when Hollywood films with an abundance of explicit scenes came to our country and translators had a problem with the censored translation of the verb fuck. But the National Corpus shows that this word has been used in this sense since the 1940s, although the peak really falls on the 1980s and 1990s. It is interesting that, for example, for me this word is primarily an expressive synonym for the verb “hit”, but for the younger generation it has already become unambiguously indecent.
What is the function of swearing and erotic vocabulary in folklore?
Erotic folklore reflects the same culture of laughter that Mikhail Bakhtin saw in the works of Rabelais (Mikhail Bakhtin is a Russian philosopher, culturologist, theorist of European culture and art. He is the author of the book “The Works of Francois Rabelais and the Folk Culture of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.” — Note “Inde”). Here the possible and the impossible are intertwined: not only adults, but also children swear, everyone is busy with the desire to have sex, including old men and old women. Ridiculous couples constantly arise: a girl contacts an old man, a guy contacts an old woman. The names of the genital organs apply to objects, animals and people. The sexual organs are personified and have a life of their own. “High” and “low” are intertwined: curses and prayers, a conspiracy tradition and a parody of conspiracies, religious rites and a parody of them. There is a very large number of erotic riddles that have “innocent” answers: “Redhead in front, hole in the back, starts with “p”, ends with “a” ”(the answer is a cigarette). There are riddles about the female and male genital organs and about coitus: “The bathhouse is leather, the door is hairy, one is washing, two are pounding, there are wings, but not flying. ”
Does Russia have a tradition of erotic literature and literature using swear words?
Erotica and swearing do not always intersect. In poetry, metaphors are much more sophisticated than in folk culture. But if we talk about obscene poetry, then it was especially popular in the XVIII-XIX centuries. This is primarily the so-called “barkovism” – obscene writings attributed to Ivan Barkov, translator, student of Mikhail Lomonosov. The collections of uncensored poetry “Girl’s Toy” and “Girl’s Pranks” are best known. For Pushkin, these are “Gavriliada” and “Shadow of Barkov”, for Lermontov – “Junker Poems”. Although almost all major poets have erotic poems, the ratio of “decency” and “obscenity” is different there. At the same time, swearing in poetry is not always associated with eroticism, acting and burlesque. For example, Pushkin’s poem retains a high tragic intensity, despite the use of obscenities. For example, in Pushkin’s poem “The Cart of Life” there is such a stanza:
In the morning we get into the cart.
We are glad to break the head
And, despising laziness and bliss,
We shout: go, ***** mother!
The poem belongs to philosophical lyrics and is built on a metaphor, a comparison of the time of day and human life. In Soviet times, Pushkin was published with cuts even in academic publications, and if you did not know the original, it was impossible to guess what exactly was hidden.
Swearing is a significant cultural layer, and although this layer is latent, hidden, seemingly unpronounceable, every cultured person had to be familiar with it. At least to avoid unnecessary associations. The troubles associated with not knowing the mat happened at 19The 1920s at the poetess Vera Inber. Most likely, a girl from an intelligent Jewish family did not know these words at that time, therefore, in sacred ignorance, she wrote poems like “Ah, ate, oh, ate …”. Maybe these are examples of the so-called author’s deafness, but Vladimir Mayakovsky ridiculed them in epigrams:
Ah, Vera, ah, Vera,
Ah, Inber, oh, Inber
What eyes, what a forehead.
Everyone would look at her b.
Now there are some words that are in the process of moving into the realm of non-normative?
Not obscene, but obscene. Yes, for example, the words “fuck”, “fuck”, which we have already talked about. But even if the word is not obscene, it may have some additional meanings, connotations, associations and will be perceived as obscene. When I was teaching at school, one day the word “bitch” came across in a dictation, which caused a strong reaction from the boys, despite the quite decent context. The verb “suck” can cause the same reaction in any context. Here is an anecdotal example: a schoolboy laughed when he heard the word “heifer” in a dictation – until quite recently this word had the slang meaning “girl” (it seems that this meaning is now disappearing). After questioning, it turned out that he knew this word only as an expressive designation for a girl, possibly a girl of easy virtue. And although the context was like “a heifer nibbles grass,” a 14-year-old boy did not doubt that it was a girl.
Of course, teenagers, due to their age, see indecent things everywhere. On the other hand, they do not see any verbal play or allegories in literary texts. Everyone at school reads Griboedov’s Woe from Wit, and somehow pays attention to the fact that Famusov is pestering Lisa, but practically no one understands the allusion to Famusov’s connection with the widowed doctor and the appearance of an illegitimate child: “… I have to baptize at the widow’s, at the doctor’s. She did not give birth, but according to the calculation – in my opinion – she should give birth. Schoolchildren usually need to point the finger at the fact that here and there there are some erotic moments. This is the result of the fact that modern urban children grow up outside the word game, which is so much in literature and in folk culture.
How do you feel about talking to children about sex?
Earlier in the folk, rural culture, it seems that there was no such problem. Villagers from childhood observed the mating of animals, and sometimes contributed to it – the cow had to be led to the bull, the goat to the goat. Often they were taken to mating by children and teenagers. Rural children saw what followed from the fact that a rooster jumps on a hen (although, of course, the child did not immediately project this observation onto himself). Cause and effect went together, and the child, observing this, did not focus on the original process, but understood it in the context of the natural life cycle. Again, there were traditionally large families in the villages, and children could repeatedly observe pregnancy and childbirth with their mothers, numerous aunts and sisters. Not observing actual copulation, sex, he observed its consequences – the emergence of a new life.
An urban teenager usually grows up alone. About the birth of children, he is told fairy tales either about a stork or about a cabbage. But he sees sex in an exaggerated form on the screen of the tablet and TV. All that remains is the perception of sex as an independent pleasure, and around everyone they say that you need to do everything possible to avoid its natural consequences – children. Under such conditions, causal relationships are broken and the problem arises of how to explain sex.
But now, of course, there is no such dividing line between rural and urban culture; what I said about the countryside is in many respects yesterday, even the day before yesterday, and village sex education is quite close to urban. Is a new language required to talk to children about sex? So far, there are two trends. The first is the use of medical terms for naming the sexual organs and the process of copulation (“penis”, “vagina”, “coitus”). The language of medicine is Latin terminology, and the city has completely mastered it. The second is the natural way of euphemization.
Illustrations: Nastya Yarushkina
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