Swearing in New Zealand English

Victoria University’s 2010 Ian Gordon Fellow is – among other things – an expert in swearing and the linguistic taboos of the English language.
Speaking in Wellington on 7th September, 2010, Prof. Kate Burridge, who is Chair of Linguistics in the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics at Monash University, Melbourne, will tackle the topic of swearing and taboo language in antipodean English.
She says swearing is a “particularly rich area of creativity” engaged in by ordinary NZ and Australian English speakers.
“Bad language has always been characterised as an earmark of Australian and NZ English. I’d like to ask the question how uniquely antipodean it is,” she says.
Prof. Burridge, who is in NZ for three public lectures, says she will provide an account of antipodean swearing patterns, based on examples from written and spoken data. In her other free public lectures she will discuss the French influence on English, and the ways English is changing and developing.
Her visit to Victoria University is courtesy of the Ian Gordon Fellowship, which was set up to support and promote the study of English language and linguistics at Victoria.
Prof. Burridge is currently co-editor of the Australian Journal of Linguistics, as well as being a regular presenter of language segments on ABC Radio and Australian television.
She will be at Victoria between 6th and 17th September, 2010, participating in informal meetings with staff and postgraduate students, in addition to her three public lectures.
What: Frequent Coarse Language: Swearing and taboo language in antipodean English. Public Lecture by Prof. Kate Burridge, 2010 Ian Gordon Fellow
Where: Student Union Memorial Theatre, Victoria University of Wellington
When: 6pm, 7th September, 2010
What: The French influence on English: How different would it be if William had lost at the Battle of Hastings? Public Lecture by Prof. Kate Burridge.
Where: Student Union Memorial Theatre, Victoria University of Wellington
When: 6pm, 9th September, 2010
What: Blooming English – ‘in forme of speche is change.’ Public Lecture by Prof. Kate Burridge.
Where: Student Union Memorial Theatre, Victoria University of Wellington
When: 6pm, 14th September, 2010.