“SC*RY!”: ASTERISK IN PRINTED UNPRINTABLE ABUSIVE WORDS

The article raises the question of the reasonability of replacing the vowel with an asterisk in the terms of offense in the media and communication. The actual example from the Internet global computer network shows a true role of the asterisk* in print. It has been argued that such substitution may have even more harmful effect on the reader, than an unchanged swear word. Other means of graphical euphemization of obscene word forms are considered as well, e.g., @, #, $ symbols instead of one of the letters of a swear word. QWERTY-effect is discussed in relation to Russian and foreign swear words. The following questions are raised: which symbols are used for euphemization of printed abusive words, how is the choice made and which symbols are completely inappropriate for this? A mean for complete masking of obscene words using a mark [censored] is suggested.