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Discussion Groups / English Usage / May 2009What's a Chav?
What's a Chav? > What's a Chav? Wikipedia gives a decent explanation. --Iain In article <998c49b4-edaa-4af7-a323-ea126d2e86c6@m24g2000vbp.googlegroups.com>, > > What's a Chav? > > Wikipedia gives a decent explanation. YouTube yields some pretty funny takes on the question.  Signature³The fox knows many things - the hedgehog, one big one.² Archilochus >What's a Chav? Start with Wikipedia, then Google your way from there! "Chav is a derogatory term applied to certain young people in the United Kingdom." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chav SignatureIan >>What's a Chav? >> >Start with Wikipedia, then Google your way from there! >"Chav is a derogatory term applied to certain young people in the United >Kingdom." >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chav And the OED says: chav, n. Brit. slang (derogatory). [Probably either < Romani {chacek}havo unmarried Romani male, male Romani child (see CHAVVY n.), or shortened < either CHAVVY n. or its etymon Angloromani chavvy. It has also been suggested that this word is a colloquial shortening of Chatham, the name of a town in Kent where the term is sometimes said to have originated (compare quots. 1998, 2002), although this is probably a later rationalization.] In the United Kingdom (originally the south of England): a young person of a type characterized by brash and loutish behaviour and the wearing of designer-style clothes (esp. sportswear); usually with connotations of a low social status. 1998 Re: Commuter blues! in uk.local.kent (Usenet newsgroup) 8 May, Travelling from Maidstone to Chatham every day was bad enough. I was born in Brompton so am I a Chav or what? .... SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.english.usage) >>>What's a Chav? >>> >>Start with Wikipedia, then Google your way from there! >>"Chav is a derogatory term applied to certain young people in the United >>Kingdom." >>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chav > And the OED says: > chav, n. > Brit. slang (derogatory). > [Probably either < Romani {chacek}havo unmarried Romani male, male > Romani child (see CHAVVY n.), or shortened < either CHAVVY n. or its [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > sometimes said to have originated (compare quots. 1998, 2002), > although this is probably a later rationalization.] [snip] There's another possible geographical derivation, though to me this seems unlikely; posted here for the sake of completeness. This theory derives it as an abbreviation of "Cheltenham Average". Cheltenham, where I live, has the image of being a stuffy, upper-to-middle-class place, for which there is a bit of justification. It also has extensive areas of social housing, largely inhabited by unreconstructed working-class people, and where there is a fairly nasty drug and criminal scene; many of the teenagers in these areas are definitely chavs. The story is that the term originated in the Cheltenham Ladies' College, a very expensive school for girls aged 13-18. The very high-class girls there are supposed to have invented this term as a snobby description of the teenagers from these areas. Myself, I don't believe a word of it. With best wishes, Peter. SignaturePeter Young, (BrE), Consultant Anaesthetist, 1975-2004. (US equivalent: Attending Anesthesiologist) Now happily retired. Cheltenham and Gloucester, UK. http://pnyoung.orpheusweb.co.uk > It also has extensive areas of social housing, largely > inhabited by unreconstructed working-class people I've used "unreconstructed" in this way without really knowing what it means. Um... what does it mean? Signature³The fox knows many things - the hedgehog, one big one.² Archilochus >> It also has extensive areas of social housing, largely >> inhabited by unreconstructed working-class people [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Um... what does it mean? I suspect it is a PC substitution for "uncivilised", but I'm only guessing. SignatureLes (BrE) >>> It also has extensive areas of social housing, largely >>> inhabited by unreconstructed working-class people [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > >I suspect it is a PC substitution for "uncivilised", but I'm only guessing. Not PC, I think, just a euphemism for "uncivilised", "crude in behaviour", "unrefined", "ill-mannered", "lacking a proper upbringing", and suchlike. OED: unreconstructed spec. (orig. U.S.) Not reconciled to the outcome of the American Civil War; hence gen. not reconciled or converted to the current political orthodoxy; unreformed; die-hard. 1867 Harper's Weekly 9 Nov. 707/2 The Democratic candidates in Maryland are..of the unreconstructed kind. SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.english.usage) >>>> It also has extensive areas of social housing, largely >>>> inhabited by unreconstructed working-class people [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > Civil War; hence gen. not reconciled or converted to the current > political orthodoxy; unreformed; die-hard. Aha! Ha! Reactionary. On May 5, 1:39 pm, "Peter Duncanson (BrE)" <m...@peterduncanson.net> wrote: > OED: > unreconstructed > > spec. (orig. U.S.) Not reconciled to the outcome of the American > Civil War; hence gen. not reconciled or converted to the current > political orthodoxy; unreformed; die-hard. So in Britain does it mean somebody who still opposes the Restoration? --Iain On 5 May, 10:30, "Peter Duncanson (BrE)" <m...@peterduncanson.net> wrote: > On Tue, 5 May 2009 09:51:39 +0100, Ian Jackson > [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > born in Brompton so am I a Chav or what? > There is probably no direct U.S. equivalent, but I would guess the nearest would be "trailer trash". Mike M > What's a Chav? You've misspelled it. It's "tchav" or "tschav" and is a kind of green borsht, which is a soup. As a mass noun, it ordinarily takes no preceding article, but you could say something like "There is a tschav that contains no beets." There's a recipe here: <http://recipe.aol.com/recipe/tschav/110634>. SignatureBob Lieblich What, you thought it was British slang? > What's a Chav? A "chav" is a general term for a male in England. >> What's a Chav? > >A "chav" is a general term for a male in England. No it isn't. SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.english.usage) On 15 May 2009, BMCT2010 wrote > On May 5, 4:39 am, "Interesting Question" <Sa...@hotmail.com> > wrote: >> What's a Chav? > > A "chav" is a general term for a male in England. Not at all: it's a term for a certain type of person, and isn't necessarily limited to males. SignatureCheers, Harvey CanEng and BrEng, indiscriminately mixed >On 15 May 2009, BMCT2010 wrote > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >Not at all: it's a term for a certain type of person, and isn't >necessarily limited to males. But isn't the female a "chavette"? SignatureIan On 16 May 2009, Ian Jackson wrote >> On 15 May 2009, BMCT2010 wrote >> [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >> > But isn't the female a "chavette"? That word certainly exists, but my feeling is that it's more a media thing than vernacular, and hasn't established itself as solidly as "lad/ladette". I certainly wouldn't notice anything amiss if someone referred to a mixed group as "a bunch of chavs", whereas "a bunch of lads" implies, to me, a single-sex group. SignatureCheers, Harvey CanEng and BrEng, indiscriminately mixed >On 15 May 2009, BMCT2010 wrote > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >Not at all: it's a term for a certain type of person, and isn't >necessarily limited to males. Quite. When I read or hear "chav" my first mental image is of a female chav. There is a definition of chav at: http://www.chavworld.co.uk/chav.htm What is a Chav? 'chav' (slang) - a young person, often without a high level of education, who follows a particular fashion; Chavs usually wear designer labels including the chav favourite 'Burberry', and if theyre girls, very short skirts, large hoop earrings and stilettos. Chavs see branded baseball caps as a status symbol and wear them at every opportunity. Normally found hanging around shopping centres. .... What is a Chavette? A chavette is a female chav - Normally seen wearing sportswear, fake designer gear and large hoop earrings. More information about chavs can be gleaned from the jokes pages at: http://www.chavworld.co.uk/jokes.htm Just a few: What do you call a chav in a tastfully decorated house? The burglar. Why are Chavs like slinkies? They have no real use but it's great to watch one fall down a flight of stairs. What do you call a Chavette in a white tracksuit? The bride. If you see a Chav on a bike, why should you try not to run him over? It might be your bike. Chavs in a car without any music. Who's driving? The police. What do you call a chav with half a brain? Gifted. What do you call chavs with a brain? A crowd. Why do Chavs always travel around in pairs? One can read and one can write! What do you say to a chav in a suit? Will the defendant please stand SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.english.usage) > What's a Chav? ~ http://209.85.122.85/10701/5/0/p1006178/enzo.jpg This guy's a chav whereas yer Barack Obama is more of a nob. George W. Bush was more chavvish than Barack! :-D Nick from England |
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