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Recently, I came across this statement in a blog about the use of a Russian expression:
Обычно подро́стки (практически поголовно) используют это выражение.
... which I translated to mean: Usually teenagers (almost entirely) use this expression.
However someone told me that (1) this expression is considered somewhat dated and not very common in Modern Russian; and (2) that when used, it expresses a tinge of scorn or disapproval, like the whole (damn) lot of them.
Is this accurate?
«Поголовно» simply implies that something is happening on a large scale, be it something negative or something positive. Compare
Наверное, они чуть ли не поголовно все наркоманы?
and
Тогда мальчишки все поголовно увлекались футболом.
As you see there is nothing bad in being interested in footbal.
However, it may still be used with a relatively small group of people, e.g. a class, meaning "without exception".
The impression of some "scorn or disapproval" may originate from the meaning of this word in farming: livestock capita = поголовье скота. Nevertheless, applying either adjective поголовный or adverb поголовно to human-beings is OK.
Both things that person told you are true. The word "поголовно" is related to "поголовье скота" (cattle count).
