Chav

Chav is a slang term which has been in wide use throughout the United Kingdom since 2004. It refers to a subcultural stereotype of a person with fashions such as flashy "bling" jewelry and counterfeit designer clothes, an uneducated, impoverished background, a tendency to congregate around places such as fast-food outlets or other shopping areas and a culture of antisocial behaviour.

In the past such people have been called yobs. Response to the term has ranged from amusement to criticism that it is a new manifestation of classism.

Etymology

Sources disagree on the origin of the word. The Collins English Dictionary suggests that it derives from a distortion of the Anglo-Romany word chavi meaning "child". [1] This word could have entered the English language through English dialects which have borrowed Romany words, such as Cockney where other Romany loan words are common (e.g. mush for "friend"), or Palare a coded slang used first by travelling circus communities, and more recently in theatrical societies and among sections of the gay community. However, these origins have been questioned.

In contrast, the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary suggests that the word derives either from a nickname for "Chatham girls" [2] or from the Romany word chavo (boy), which is also the source of the Spanish word chaval. It also reports that the word can be used as an adjective e.g. "The bus was full of chav kids." [3]

There are a large number of synonyms and regional variations of "chav", including "pikey", "townie", "scally", "ned" and "charver". [4]

Many folk etymologies have sprung up to explain the origins of the word. These include humorous backronyms, such as "Council House And Violent" [5]. 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 [6].

Usage

Though "chav" has similarities to American terms such as "white trash" and "trailer trash", it does not bear the racial overtones of its American counterparts, and, according to the stereotype, many supposed chavs belong to multi-ethnic inner city communities such as London council estates.

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. A survey in 2005 found that in December 2004 alone there were 114 British newspaper articles using the word. It was also voted "word of the year" in 2004 by GQ magazine. [7] 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 spinoff ChavTowns.

Stereotype

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, where "class" is defined by taste as much as (or even instead of) income.

Elements of the stereotype

A caricature image of the stereotypical chav. Note track suit, "bling" and Burberry cap.

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 white sports socks. 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, and has a hairstyle in which the hair is pulled back into a tight bun or ponytail (called a "Croydon facelift" [8] or "council-house facelift"), and stilettos.
is associated with crass, drunken behaviour and minor criminal activities. This includes unprovoked attacks on members of the public (see happy slapping), vandalism, verbal abuse of passerby, and drug abuse. This deliquency may be carried out under the influence of cheap alcohol, often after the pubs have closed.
lives on housing estates and other low-income neighbourhoods.
owns large, dangerous attack dogs.
owns a tastelessly modified car, usually with a basic original specification, but decorated in the style popularised by the film The Fast and the Furious. A high specification music system with amplified bass may also be included.
takes part in under-aged drinking and sex (and, consequently, is associated with teen pregnancy).
congregates and loiters in areas such as shopping centres, outside off-licences and fast food restaurant car parks.
is fond of texting language slang.
pronounces English in a style that is seen to be unsophisticated and characterised by slack diction - for example, the pronunciation of "thing" as "fing".

Commercial impact

The "chav" stereotype and image have had an impact on the commercial world.

The Burberry clothing brand became associated with the chav subculture and ceased production of its branded baseball cap, in an attempt to distance itself from the stereotype. The company pointed out that the chav stereotype is associated with counterfeit versions of the clothing: "They're yesterday's news", stated Stacey Cartrwright, the CEO. "It was mostly counterfeit, and Britain accounts for less than 10% of our sales anyway."

The fall in the sale of thongs has been attributed partially to their association with female "chavs" [9], which suggests that an association with the chav stereotype can be harmful for a brand or item.

Media characterisation and comment

Characterisation

The character Vicky Pollard, as portrayed in the BBC comedy series Little Britain by Matt Lucas, is perhaps the most iconic chav. She is often seen in a Kappa tracksuit and describes her activites of under-age drinking and sex, mindless gossip, petty crimes and playing truant. She also has no respect for any form of authority. A similar character, Lauren, appears on The Catherine Tate Show. Like Vicky Pollard, she has a distinctive communication style, using the catchphrases "Am I bothered?" (pronounced "bovvered") and "You disrespecting my family?"

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.)

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, often referring to him as the "Lottery Lout".

The Welsh rap group Goldie Lookin' Chain have been accused of both embodying and satirising the chav aesthetic, though the group themselves deny any such agenda [10].

Critique 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" [11], and that its increasing popularity raises questions about how British society deals with social mobility and class. [12] In a February 2005 article in The Times, Julie Burchill argues 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. [13] Burchill also produced a Sky One television programme on the topic.

The controversy around the term was also the subject of a Channel 4 documentary in July 2005, entitled simply Chavs.

References

"British tabloids savage 'snooty' Burberry". 2005-01-13. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)

External links

Humour

ChavScum - A User's Guide to Britain's New Ruling Class
ChavTowns
The Devvo "documentaries" by David Firth humorously illustrate aspects of "the chav scene/problem in Northern England"

Articles