New Zealand's South Islanders are more likely to take offence at nasty expletives than Kiwis living in the country's North Island.
Charges for public profanities may be dropping in New Zealand generally, but in the South Island they are on the rise, new statistics show.
But Auckland criminal law professor Warren Brookbanks says this is probably not because South Islanders are more potty-mouthed but rather because they are more conservative.
"I can't believe it's because there are more foul-mouthed people in the South Island," Prof Brookbanks said on Monday.
It's more likely that the people in the north are more liberal and less offended by that sort of language.
"While in the south, people take offence at rude things people say more readily."
The figures show there were 207 charges brought for public profanity in 2007, up 11 per cent on the previous year and 29 per cent on the year before that.
Prof Brookbanks said the charge, which carries a $1000 (A$789.64) fine, is an "elusive" one and dependent on the "circumstances in which the utterance is made".
- AAP
Southern kiwis more offended by public swearing
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