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.
The Good Food Guide has just released its list of the 100 best local restaurants in Britain – and one in Sheffield has made the list.
The latest edition of the Best 100 Local Restaurants list celebrates the very best venues that are loved by their communities.
A team of reviewers and inspectors scour the country to find the best of the best, and this year a beloved Sheffield restaurant has earned its rightful place back on the list.
The Orange Bird over in Hillsborough is an award-winning South African restaurant that may be small in size, but the flavours coming out of the kitchen are anything but.
Images: The Sheff
The Orange Bird has become one of the city’s biggest word-of-mouth food spots, with locals flocking there for its bold, modern South African-inspired cooking and seriously impressive braai dishes.
And if you’ve ever tried getting a reservation, you’ll already know just how in-demand this place has become.
Run by Anne Horner and Matthew Duggan-Jones, The Orange Bird has built a loyal following thanks to its vibrant menu packed with smoky, fire-cooked flavours, quality local ingredients, and dishes made for sharing around the table.
Images: The Sheff
But don't just take our word for it, here's what the Good Food Guide said: "The Hillsborough district of Sheffield is home to Matthew Duggan-Jones' homage to his South African heritage, in which the braai barbecue is a long-standing social tradition.
"Behind the Orange Bird’s dark-hued facade, there is always the infectious feeling of a party going on – 'it’s consistently delicious, exciting and inviting,' notes one local."
The Orange Bird was placed at number 54, which we think is pretty good going.
You can read the full list by the Good Food Guide here.
Read more: The Hillsborough restaurant redefining bold South African flavours in Sheffield
Featured image - The Sheff
The Sheff
The old-fashion Sheffield sweet shop that’s been open for 152 years
Clementine Hall
You might have walked past Granelli’s countless times, but did you know it’s one of Sheffield’s oldest family-run businesses?
Whether you have a sweet tooth or not, you just can't beat the experience of a proper sweet shop.
The walls lined with colourful tubs of sugary treats, rustling paper bags and the sound of sweets being weighed in the scale - it's a feeling of nostalgia that can't be replicated.
Granelli's on Broad Street first opened in 1873 by Luigi Granelli, who moved to Sheffield from Genoa in Italy.
Images: The Sheff
The shop began by selling ice cream before becoming the sweet shop that generations of Sheffielders have grown up with.
Today you’ll still find shelves packed with over 200 different kind of sweets, from a mix of traditional favourites including pear drops, chocolate limes, chewing peanuts, bonbons and fudge alongside newer sweets too like Millions and Sherbet Fountains.
You can still grab an ice cream if you don't fancy sweets, of course served in a classic wafer cone with a flake plonked on top.
It's a proper Sheffield institution, but what makes it even better is that many of the sweets sold at Granelli's are made by local firms.
Images: The Sheff
Maxon's are a Sheffield company, Willett's from Chesterfield and the famous Bassett's of Liquorice Allsorts fame was founded in Sheffield in 1842 with their factor still in Hillsborough.
They're all sold at a decent price too, so you're not breaking the bank to satisfy that sweet craving.
So if you're looking for a real nostalgic experience in Sheffield then Granelli's has got to be your next stop, and by supporting a local family business you can feel good about it too.
Daisy Jackson -
20th April 2026 
