Dirty Words. From Spells to Memes: How the Russian Language Preserves History

How does swearing help loved ones during exams and other trials? Why did the meme "Night Guest" resonate so much with the internet? And, after all, what wrongs did Fedot and Yakov commit? This book is about words, omens, and images through which the ancient fears of our ancestors, their hopes, beliefs, and ways of communicating with the world still reach us.
Journalist Sergey Antonov continues to explore language as a living system where the logic of folk mythology is preserved. His new book is a way to see in everyday speech the legacy of ancient practices: from spells and rituals to modern memes. You will understand why the same formulations have been repeated for centuries and how language continues to influence our perception of reality.
As in the first book of the series, the research comes to life through the illustrations of Lucy Varlamova, where mythical creatures organically intertwine with internet heroes.


- For lovers of etymology and folk culture
- For those who want to understand Slavic mythology
- For those who want to comprehend where familiar childhood images come from — Babay, Viy, the house spirit, evil forces
- For those curious about how pagan concepts were integrated into Christian traditions and have survived to this day