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Eshay (/ˈɛʃeɪ/) is a slang expression associated with an Australian urban youth subculture that originated from Western Sydney in the late 1980s, but has brought into the mainstream since the late 2010s and the 2020s,
In New Zealand, "hoodrats" are a similar subculture.
Etymology
The term can refer to individuals within the subculture, or to the subculture itself, and can have various other meanings in different contexts. The word "eshay" apparently derives from the Pig Latin for "sesh" (meaning cannabis smoking session). The term "adlay" (/ˈædleɪ/), Pig Latin for "lad," refers to the same subculture.
Description
Eshays, or lads, are often considered stereotypically hypermasculine and inclined to crime and violence. However, while most eshays are male, a minority of them are female. They may be affiliated with other local youths from a postcode, hang out in groups, use slang derived from Pig Latin, wear sportswear, have mullets and engage in immature and anti-social behaviour. Common fashion items include bumbags and Nike shoes (specifically NikeTNs). Due to the eshay subculture surrounding the shoe, wearers have been banned from some pubs and clubs. Eshays often have access to alcohol, electronic cigarettes, illegal drugs, pornography and social media (namely Snapchat and TikTok).
Typical hangout areas for eshays include bus stops, shopping centres, pubs, streets and train stations.
"Gutter rap" (also known as "lad rap" due to its popularity among eshays) is a form of drill rap. Rappers in this genre include Kerser and Onefour.
Slang
Eshays are known to use unique slang words when speaking, many of which derive from Pig Latin.
| Examples of slang words used by eshays | |
|---|---|
| Word | Definition |
| Adlay | A "lad" (an eshay) |
| B(r)ah Lad |
"Bro", "mate", "dude" (a term of endearment, usually for a male) |
| Eetswa | "Sweet", good |
| Gronk | An annoying person |
| Illchay | To chill, to relax Chill out (an expression) |
| Ogday | A "dog" (an unpleasant person) |
| Roll | To rob someone |
| Sesh | A "session" (usually refers to a time when people smoke marijuana) |
| Entays | Slang word referring to Nike TN's |
See also
- Chav/Roadman, a similar term used to describe young delinquents in Britain
- Gopnik, a similar term used to describe young delinquents in Eastern Europe
- Skeet (Newfoundland), a similar term used on the Canadian island of Newfoundland
- Racaille, a similar term used to describe young delinquents in France.
- Hoon
- Lad culture
- Ah beng
- Ned (Scottish)
References
- Nathan Davies (14 May 2021). "From Bodgies to Eshays: Exploring the history of Adelaide's youth subcultures". The Advertiser.
- Miles Proust and Bianca Farmakis. "Melbourne's eshay culture: Who are they and what do they do?". Herald Sun.
- "Violent or just misunderstood? The rise of New Zealand's 'hoodrat' youth subculture". 23 September 2022.
- ^ Tim Boyd (24 January 2020). "Inside the secret world of Millennial subcultures". Australian Financial Review. Archived from the original on 7 January 2022.
- Stephen Pham (2019). "Mundane glories". Going Down Swinging (40): 31–40.
- "Do Eshays Live in Wyndham?". 4 October 2022.
- Athena Lill (17 December 2014). "From local to global: the evolution of musical play in secondary schools". International Journal of Play. 3 (3): 256. doi:10.1080/21594937.2014.976036. S2CID 143188838.
- "Nike TNS: Australia's Most Fuck You Shoe". 8 May 2017.
- "How the Nike Air Max Plus Became the Kingpin Down Under". Sneaker Freaker. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- "How this Nike sneaker stomped its way into Australian street culture". 7NEWS. 30 April 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- Cross, Julie (29 January 2021). "Parents fear rise of eshay culture on northern beaches". dailytelegraph. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
- "What is an Eshay? The Unofficial Uidegay to Adlays". 11 July 2023.
- "Geelong Advertiser".
- "Eshays: Perth's modern day bogans dressed like tennis players". 2 January 2022.
- "'Eshay' gangs targeting suburban train stations".
- "'Eshay' roasted for train guard rant". news. 8 December 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
- "Red shoe ban raises question: 'What's an Eshay, bah?'". 9 January 2023.
- Cavalier, Sarah (23 February 2023). "What is an Eshay?".