Monograph of Doctor of Philology Professor V.I. Zhelvis is the first scientific study in Russia devoted to the problems of foul language. Recently, this problem has acquired all over the world, and in Russia, among other things, of particular importance: foul language has become so important that society no longer has the right to limit itself to simple emotional condemnation of this phenomenon. It is time to comprehend it as deeply as possible, draw attention to the "expletive pandemic," show its origins and causes, compare in this regard the strategy and tactics of various national cultures and make us think about further ways of ethical development of mankind. The author studied the invective strategies of several dozen languages ​ ​ of the world, attracted the richest material of modern research in the field of sociology, psychology, ethnography, physiology, ethology and other sciences.