Campaign against offensive language at Opole University of Technology

Rector\'s Office Director at Opole University of Technology, Wojciech Najda explained in an interview with PAP that the idea for the campaign was born of the observation, or rather listening to what was happening around - not just at Opole University of Technology, but also, for example, on the city promenades and in public transport. "And since we have the ability to influence within the walls of the university, from where this voice may also spread to the outside, we decided to act" - he explained.

This is why hundreds of posters with the slogan "From trash talk to junk contracts - talk and live with class" have been hanged in the Opole University of Technology buildings. Apart from that, a film with the participation of students can be watched on the university website. The characters point out that swearing is an ugly habit. "I have a good technique of dialogue, I do not have to swear"; "Only bland people swear, I do not have to" - argue Opole University of Technology students in the film.

In the promotional materials, the Opole university notes that the use of profanity is a common problem, which can be encountered at universities and in all occupational and social groups. "Fortunately you can work on your language" - noted the authors in the campaign announcement and added that "although the students are the elite among young people - it is no secret that on the way to higher education of their language happens to hit bottom".

The campaign authors also argue that "foul language" in the future "will turn into junk contract and substandard existence." "If we expect high standards in the future life and career, we should hold ourselves to high standards as well" - note the authors of the campaign. And they add: "The students of Opole University of Technology are adults, will do what they want with the campaign, but we believe that they will stop using foul language, because they are ambitious, expressive, and have a good dialogue technique".

Najda added that the university wants to say "a strong +no+" to foul language and try to shape the culture of the language not only among engineers. "The purity of language and its culture is very important regardless of whether the school is technical or not" - he added.

Linguist Prof. Jerzy Bralczyk told PAP that in his opinion profanity should be ignored; and he himself does not speak on the subject. He drew attention to the purity of thought formulation in general.

"Our speech reveals our thinking. Not only that - our discourse also affects our thinking. Good, decent thinking about the world requires clear formulation and precise relations between words and things" - he said in an interview with PAP and added that "especially when it comes to practical matters, we should think clearly and be able to clearly formulate sentences that correspond to these thoughts".

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