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{{wiktionarypar2|chav|charva}} {{wiktionarypar2|chav|charva}}
'''Chav''' (pronunciation: ) (also '''RF''' ''(female chav)'', '''Charv''' or '''Charva''') is a ] term in wide use throughout the ] since ]. It refers to a ] ] of a person with ]s such as flashy "]" jewellery, ] clothing items and ] designer clothing; an uneducated and uncultured background; a tendency to congregate around places such as ] outlets, ] stops, or other shopping areas; and a culture of ] behaviour and ]. Chavs often listen to ] (particularly ] and ]), ], ]/] and ] music . Response to the term has ranged from amusement to criticism that it is a new manifestation of ]. '''Chav''' (pronunciation: ) (also '''RF''' ''(Rumptin fatoowi)'', '''Charv''' or '''Charva''') is a ] term in wide use throughout the ] since ]. It refers to a ] ] of a person with ]s such as flashy "]" jewellery, ] clothing items and ] designer clothing; an uneducated and uncultured background; a tendency to congregate around places such as ] outlets, ] stops, or other shopping areas; and a culture of ] behaviour and ]. Chavs often listen to ] (particularly ] and ]), ], ]/] and ] music . Response to the term has ranged from amusement to criticism that it is a new manifestation of ].




Revision as of 11:48, 22 June 2006

Chav (pronunciation: ) (also RF (Rumptin fatoowi), Charv or Charva) is a slang term in wide use throughout the United Kingdom since 2004. It refers to a subcultural stereotype of a person with fashions such as flashy "bling" jewellery, Burberry clothing items and counterfeit designer clothing; an uneducated and uncultured background; a tendency to congregate around places such as fast-food outlets, bus stops, or other shopping areas; and a culture of antisocial behaviour and violence. Chavs often listen to dance (particularly trance and happy hardcore), RnB, rap/hip hop and drum and bass music . Response to the term has ranged from amusement to criticism that it is a new manifestation of classism.


Etymology

For a full discussion of the etymologies of chav and charva, see Wiktionary.
For a list of synonyms for chav and charva, see WikiSaurus under the headword chav.

Sources disagree on the origin of the word. The Collins English Dictionary suggests that it derives from a distortion of the Anglo-Romani word chavi meaning "child". In contrast, the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary suggests that the word derives either from a nickname for "Chatham girls" or from the Romany word chavo (boy), which is also the source of the Spanish word chavo or chaval. It also reports that the word can be used as an adjective e.g. "The bus was full of chav kids." .

There are a large number of synonyms and regional variations of "chav", including "scally", "townie", "kev", and "charva". It has been suggested that "charva" (or "charv") predates "chav" as a dialect word in North East England and Edinburgh, Scotland, and that "chav" may be a derivative term; they at least appear to share the same possible etymology in "chavi" . The Cockney term chavvy for a baby or toddler has been in use for decades and almost certainly derives from "chavi".

Many folk etymologies have sprung up to explain the origins of the word. These include backronyms such as "Council Housed And Violent" . Another commonly cited false etymology derives the word from Cheltenham Ladies' College. Here, it is claimed, the term was coined from the words "Cheltenham Average" (Ch-av), used by the young women of the school to describe less desirable young men of the town .

Usage

Though "chav" has similarities to American terms such as "white trash" , "trailer trash" or "wigger", it does not bear the same perceived racial overtones of its American counterparts.

From its origins as a slang term, use of the word spread rapidly so that by 2004 it had become a hugely popular word in national newspapers and common parlance in the UK. In popular usage, the word has largely supplanted "pikey" (and thus the potential racial slur of a word that was originally applied only to Romany or Irish travellers) as the pejorative term du jour for working class youth in the UK. Susie Dent's Larpers and Shroomers: The Language Report, published by the Oxford University Press, designated it as the "word of the year" in 2004. A survey in 2005 found that in December 2004 alone 114 British newspaper articles used the word. The popularity of the word has led to the creation of sites devoted to cataloguing and mocking the "chav" lifestyle. These include ChavScum and its spin-off ChavTowns.

Stereotype

A caricature image of the stereotypical chav. Note the tracksuit, "bling" and counterfeit Burberry cap.

The stereotype of the chav is defined by critics of the supposed chav lifestyle. Few people identify themselves as chavs. Note, however, that "lotto lout" Michael Carroll has "King of Chavs" emblazoned on the side of his car and a number plate reading "L111 OUT" (i.e. "lout").

The essential stereotype is of someone conspicuously "common" i.e. lower-class (as defined by taste rather than income).

Elements of the stereotype

The stereotypical chav is someone who:

  • wears particular clothing, such as:
    • Brand name athletic clothing and shoes. Stereotypically, this might include white trainers and tracksuits.
    • Fake designer clothing and accessories, in particular the distinctive tartan of Burberry, similar to (and perhaps derived from) the casuals of football supporters.
    • "Bling": that is, gaudy gold jewellery — in particular conspicuous earrings and trinkets on chains for women, and gold sovereign rings for men.
    • Sports caps and hoodies. Often both are worn, the hood pulled up over the baseball cap, thus obscuring the wearer's face.
    • Sports or jogging trousers, often tucked into sports socks, usually white. These are also referred to as "tracky Bs", "trackies" or "tracky bottoms".
  • if female, wears thickly applied make-up, makes heavy use of fake tan, large hoop-earrings and has a hairstyle in which the hair is pulled back into a tight ponytail (called a "Croydon facelift" or "council-house facelift").
  • is associated with crass, loud, in-your-face drunken behaviour and minor criminal activities. This includes unprovoked attacks on members of the public (see happy slapping), vandalism, verbal abuse, and drug abuse (see ASBO). This delinquency may be carried out under the influence of cheap alcohol, often after the pubs have closed.
  • lives on council estates and other low-income neighbourhoods, often supported by the "dole" (unemployment benefit)
  • owns a tastelessly modified car, usually with a basic original specification, but decorated in a gaudy style. The Vauxhall Corsa is one of the many small hatchbacks associated with this stereotype.
  • aspires to the latest mobile phone and other mobile gadgetry. Typically these include the Motorola RAZR series phone and iPod Shuffle music player.
  • takes part in under-aged drinking and sex (and, consequently, is associated with teen pregnancy).
  • congregates and loiters in areas such as shopping centres , corner-shops and fast food restaurants .
  • animosity towards other youth subcultures, especially goths.
  • pronounces English in a style that is seen to be unsophisticated and characterised by slack diction — for example, the pronunciation of "thing" as "fing", or the addition of a K on words such as "Nothing", turning them into words such as "Nofink".

Criticism of the stereotype

The widespread use of the chav stereotype has come under criticism from some quarters, many arguing that it amounts simply to classism, and that social problems such as teenage pregnancy, delinquency and alcoholism in low-income areas are no laughing matter. Critics of the term have argued that its proponents are "neo-snobs" , and that its increasing popularity raises questions about how British society deals with social mobility and class. In a February 2005 article in The Times, Julie Burchill argued that use of the word is a form of "social racism", and that such "sneering" reveals more about the shortcomings of the "chav haters" than those of their supposed victims. Burchill also produced a Sky One television programme on the topic where she sought to link the word with the entire working-class population. The controversy around the term was also the subject of a Channel 4 documentary in July 2005, simply entitled Chavs.

Commercial impact

The Burberry clothing brand, which quickly became synonymous with "chav" subculture, recently ceased production of its branded baseball cap in an attempt to distance itself from the stereotype. They also scaled back the use of their patented chequered/tartan design to such an extent that it now only appears on the inner linings and other very low key positions of their clothing. Burberry-clad youths have recently been prevented from entering certain football games and shopping centres due to the association between the brand and hooliganism.

The company has argued that the stereotype is associated with counterfeit versions of the clothing: "They're yesterday's news", stated Stacey Cartwright, the CEO of Burberry. "It was mostly counterfeit, and Britain accounts for less than 10% of our sales anyway."

Additionally, the fall in the sale of thongs has been attributed partially to their association with female "chavs" .

In 2005, Bluewater shopping centre banned hooded tops from anywhere in their complex.

Media characterisation

The character Vicky Pollard, as portrayed by Matt Lucas in the BBC comedy series Little Britain, is perhaps the most iconic chav caricature. She is often seen in a pink Kappa tracksuit, and describes — at an almost incoherently fast pace — her activities of under-age drinking and sex, mindless gossip, petty crimes and playing truant. She also has no respect for any form of authority. Matt Lucas himself has admitted that the character was based on the youths he saw in Bristol when he was a student .

A character similar to Vicky Pollard, "Lauren", played by Catherine Tate in The Catherine Tate Show, another BBC comedy series, is a stereotypical chav female. Her catchphrase is "Am I bothered?" Tate recently performed this sketch at the Royal Variety Show.

BBC Three sketch show, Tittybangbang also features three "chavette" characters called Colleen, Melanie and Natalie, who all speak in thick Jamaican "Yardie" dialects.

The British magazine Viz includes a character called Tasha Slappa, an exaggerated teenage female chav. The strip satirises chav culture. (The character was originally called "Kappa Slappa" until the Kappa company filed a lawsuit against Viz. It is unknown whether the term "Kappa Slappa" predates its adoption by Viz. "Slapper" itself is an older British slang term for a sexually promiscuous female.)

Lottery millionaire Michael Carroll is the self-proclaimed "King of the Chavs" due to his lifestyle and antics. He is frequently derided in the tabloid press for his anti-social behaviour, and is often referred to as the "Lotto Lout" in the British media.

The Welsh rap group, Goldie Lookin' Chain, have been described as both embodying and satirising the chav aesthetic, though the group themselves deny any such agenda .

Footballer Wayne Rooney and girlfriend Coleen McLoughlin , rapper Lady Sovereign , glamour model Jordan (AKA Katie Price), actress Danniella Westbrook, and former Big Brother contestant Jade Goody have also been labelled "chavs" by British tabloids.

In the Doctor Who episode "New Earth", Rose Tyler is described as a "chav" and "chavtastic" by Lady Cassandra.

"The Tatler" ran a story with the tagline "Prince Harry and his chavistocracy" at the apex of Harry's party antics.

Indie/Brit Pop band Arctic Monkeys' song "A Certain Romance" describes the aesthetic of "chav" with the lyrics "although they might wear Classic Reeboks / or tracky bottoms tucked in socks".

See also

Similar terms from outside England & Wales

Europe

North America

Other

References

  1. "'Asbo' and 'chav' make dictionary". BBC News. 2005-06-08. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. Rowan, David (2002-05-26). "Goodbye Essex girl, hello Chatham girl". The Observer. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ "Word of the Month". Oxford Teachers' Club. Retrieved 2006-01-19.
  4. Quinion, Michael. "World Wide Words".
  5. ^ Anoop Nayak and Steve Drayton. "To charv or not to charver - that is the question". Inside Out - North East. BBC. Retrieved 2006-01-19. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  6. Tweedie, Neil (2004-12-13). "Cheltenham ladies and the chavs". Daily Telegraph. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. "AskOxford: Larpers and Shroomers: the Language Report". Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2006-03-04.
  8. "The true hair to the chav throne?". Croydon Guardian. 2005-01-26. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ Barton, Laura (2004-10-02). "This week". The Guardian. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. "Shuffle takes Chav gadget award". Tech Digest. 2005-12-02. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  11. Ward, David (2004-10-19). "Get hip to chav as this year's wizard word". The Guardian. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. Alexander, Hilary (2005-01-01). "Burberry boss is happy with the chav cheques". The Daily Telegraph. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. "Voices: Posh or chav?". BBC News. 2005-08-24. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. Bennett, Oliver (2004-01-28). "Sneer nation". The Independent. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ Smith, Alison (2005-06-14). "Media student 'expert on chavs'". BBC News. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. Burchill, Julie (2005-02-18). "Yeah but, no but, why I'm proud to be a chav". The Times. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  17. "The £16m woman takes on Burberry". The Times.
  18. "Check out the height of ferret fashion. Burberry has". The Telegraph.
  19. "Pub-goers facing 'Burberry' ban". BBC news.
  20. King, Ian (2005-01-12). "Burberry not chavin' it". The Sun. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  21. "The fall of the thong". 7days. 2005-08-01. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  22. "Mall bans shoppers' hooded tops". BBC NEWS.
  23. DooYoo DVD review. URL accessed 2006-03-26
  24. "Goldie Lookin' Chain: Chain reaction". The Independent. 2004-08-13. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  25. Wheeler, Brian (2005-06-30). "Leave chavs alone, say MPs". BBC News. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  26. Patrick, Guy (2005). "Chav a merry Xmas, Roo". The Sun. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  27. Davis, Johnny (2006-04-15). "Lady Sovereign : The country's fourth biggest chav". The Independent. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  28. Byrnes, Sholto (2005-09-11). "Say cheese! Camilla and the Queen of Chav enjoy two right royal". The Independent. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  29. McVeigh, Karen (2004-10-19). "Doff your caps to the chavs ...they're THE word of 2004". The Scotsman. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

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