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The results of a new Angus Reid opinion poll have Clint Burnham, associate professor of English, wondering whether Canadians have a double standard when it comes to cussing. The poll found that 70 per cent of Canadians think it’s inappropriate for authority figures (e.g., lawyers, politicians and doctors) to swear even though 56 per cent of Canadians readily admit to being foulmouthed. Burnham says: “This indicates that Canadians are quite judgmental about others’ swearing.” Burnham also notes, “My experience is that sometimes younger students are offended at the idea that they are reading, for a university class, a text with profanity in it, whereas they might be fine with encountering such profanity in their personal reading. They expect us to be more uptight than we are.”

Clint Burnham, 778.782.3438, clint_burnham@sfu.ca, Twitter: Prof_Clinty

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