Linguists at the University of Sheffield are calling on the public to submit their most-used swear words - for science, of course.
This first-ever national swear word census will help to document how people across the country actually speak, and where regional swear words dominate.
The project has been launched by the University of Sheffield in partnership with legendary satirical arts practice Modern Toss.
Now, the first-ever national repository of regional swear words is open for submissions, with people across the nation encouraged to participate in this 'linguistic census' of authentic English.
It's hoped the swear census and map will protect regional dialect words from disappearing, as well as providing a historical snapshot of modern UK regional language.
The data will also be transformed into public exhibitions celebrating the humour, creativity, and reality of how people speak across the UK.
The repository will function similarly to a linguistic census, inviting members of the public to submit the swear words and phrases they commonly use in everyday life in their local areas.
Researchers are interested in regional terms, swear words and insults that are specific to particular towns and cities - the sort of things you say in a new group of people and they all look at you like you're speaking a foreign language.
Dr Chris Montgomery, who is leading the project from the University of Sheffield’s School of English, said: "Swearing is a fundamental part of how everybody expresses emotion, identity, humour, and social connection, yet it is often excluded from formal records of language. We also know very little about how swearing varies in local areas.
"This project recognises that to truly understand English as it is lived and spoken, we must include all of it - not just the polite or standardised forms.
"Some traditional regional dialects might be disappearing, and this project is about celebrating the regional language that people actually use and preserving a record of it, so future generations can get a real insight into people’s lives in 2026 and how people communicated in towns and cities across the country."
Dr Montgomery continued: "We want to hear from everyone. Whether you’re in Glasgow, Sheffield, Cardiff, or a small village in Cornwall - your voice matters. This is a chance to contribute to a living record of language and culture."
Jon Link, from Modern Toss, said: "We’re delighted to be working with the University of Sheffield. At Modern Toss we’ve spent years turning filthy data into charts and interactive art, and this collaboration finally lets us map the UK's isolated linguistic pockets with proper academic rigour, yeah?
"The end goal is to join up these hidden worlds into a definitive, push-button, wall-mounted map of the national swear mind."
Submissions are open now, and participation is free. Contributors can share their most commonly used swear words and phrases as part of what researchers hope will become one of the most revealing linguistic archives ever created in the UK.
If there’s one thing Sheffield knows how to do, it’s a pork sandwich.
And while there are plenty of places across the Steel City serving up the classic combo of pork, stuffing, apple sauce and that all-important crackling, there’s one Hillsborough butcher that deserves a bit more attention.
Say ey-up to F Funks, a proper old-school independent butcher where you go in for one thing and somehow end up eyeing up half the counter.
And if you’re hungry, the pork sandwich is the one to know about. We’re talking generous helpings of pork, proper crackling, and a breadcake that does exactly what it needs to do - no fancy brioche, no unnecessary toppings.
But what makes places like F Funks so good is that it feels like a proper part of the neighbourhood.
F Funks has been serving customers since 1890, meaning this isn’t some new food trend that’s suddenly appeared on Middlewood Road.
F Funks butchers in Sheffield. Credit: The Sheff
It’s not trying to be the next big food opening or become Sheffield’s newest Instagram hotspot. It’s simply doing what a good local butcher should do: selling quality meat, making cracking sandwiches, and keeping the regulars coming back.
Whether you’re a Hillsborough local, heading to Sheffield Wednesday, or simply fancy ditching the meal deal for something a little more substantial, F Funks is well worth knowing about.
Sheffield might have plenty of new food spots popping up every other week, but sometimes the best finds are the ones that have been quietly serving the locals for years.
You’re not just buying a sandwich, you're buying a proper bit of Sheffield food history.
Sheffield artists wanted to help put their stamp on huge new neighbourhood
Daisy Jackson
Sheffield artists are being given the chance to leave a permanent mark on one of the city’s biggest new developments.
Capital&Centric is calling on local creatives to help bring its new Fitzwilliam neighbourhood in Mesters’ Village to life – and one lucky artist will ultimately see their work commissioned as part of the finished scheme.
The developer is particularly keen to hear from street artists in Sheffield, asking creatives to send over their portfolios for a chance to take part.
Four artists will be shortlisted and paid to develop their ideas, before one is chosen to create the final piece.
Capital&Centric announced the opportunity on social media, saying: “If you’re an artist in Sheffield who wants to leave their mark on the city, then you’re gonna want to listen to this.
"We’re building Fitzwilliam, a brand-new neighbourhood in Mesters’ Village Sheffield, and we want local artists to put their stamp on it.
"DM us your portfolio, we’ll then shortlist four artists, pay you to sketch out your idea, and then one of you will be commissioned when the building’s done.
"So if you’re a street artist in Sheffield, or know one, share this, tag them, and get involved."
The call-out comes as plans for Fitzwilliam move forward, with the new neighbourhood set to bring 192 rental homes to the site between Sheffield city centre and Kelham Island.
Construction is expected to get underway in early 2027, with the first residents due to move into Fitzwilliam from spring 2029.
The development will feature two six-storey buildings containing the new homes, with the architecture designed to reflect Sheffield’s industrial heritage.
Brick and black steel will feature heavily in the scheme, while residents will have access to a range of shared facilities designed to make the development feel more like a neighbourhood than a collection of apartments.
These will include communal lounges, co-working spaces, a landscaped courtyard and a rooftop terrace offering views across Sheffield.
There will also be space at ground-floor level for an independent café-bar.
Daisy Jackson -
20th April 2026 
