ed Drive for good language

A survey showed that teenagers use at least one abusive word in a 75-second dialogue. They use 49 swear words in an hour. The finding necessitates a campaign for the use of decent words.

EBS and the Korea Federation of Teachers' Association made public the unnerving report after analyzing a four-hour recorded conversation of four middle- and high-school students. They sampled the adolescents, two generally known as being foul-mouthed and two more ordinary children.

A Ministry of Gender Equality survey also backs the pervasive use of abusive language among youths. The ministry reported that 73.4 percent of youths routinely cuss daily. Only 5.4 percent do not use profanities.

The surveys found that almost all students use foul words casually, regardless of family background. Namely, the use of vulgar language has no connection to academic records and professions of parents. This contravenes the myth that only academic laggards and students from poor families tend to swear more than students with outstanding academic records and from wealthy families.

Responsible for polluting the language of adolescents are online game sites, digital media, including mobile phones, and TV, movies and popular songs.

Students learn the disparaging words both at home and at school. More than 80 percent of students say they learned abusive language when attending primary school. About 43 percent answered that few adults, either parents or teachers, admonish them even when they use obscene words.

A campaign is necessary to encourage students to refrain from cursing. Parents and teachers must be careful in their use of language. They also need to give advice to youths when they use foul words. Movie raters must monitor the use of vulgar language in film screening. Portal sites need to delete filthy words in online comments. The media should initiate a drive to promote an interest in good and decent speech. Broadcasting companies should bleep out swear words. Good language costs nothing.