Chav

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.

Chav is a derogatory slang term in the United Kingdom (UK) which appeared in mainstream dictionaries in 2005 . The term “chav” refers to a subcultural stereotype fixated on fashions such as flashy “bling” jewellery (generally gold) along with designer clothing in the Burberry pattern (most famously a now-discontinued baseball cap) and from a variety of other casual and sportswear brands. Tracksuits, hoodies and baseball caps are particularly associated with this stereotype. Musically, chavs tend to like rap, rave dance, and R&B. Response to the term has ranged from amusement to criticism that it is a new manifestation of classism. The term has also been associated with delinquency, the "ASBO Generation", and "Yob culture".

Etymology

The accepted etymology for "chav" is that it derives from the Romani word "chavi", meaning a child. Related words derived from the same source include "charva" (used in northern England in a similar sense) and perhaps the obsolescent "young shaver" (meaning a boy). In modern Spanish "chaval" means "lad". There are a large number of synonyms and regional variations of "chav", including "scally", "townie", "ned" and "Mallie".

Many folk etymologies have sprung up around the word. These include backronyms such as "Council Housed And Violent" and "Council House Associated Vermin". It has also been suggested that pupils at Cheltenham Ladies College and Cheltenham College used the word to describe the younger men of the town ("Cheltenham Average")..

From its origins as a slang term, use of the word spread so rapidly that by 2004 it had become a hugely popular word in national newspapers and common parlance 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.

Derived Words

• Chavtastic: Related to chavs
• Chavmobile (or "chavrolet"): A car which has been pointlessly modified with only cosmetic issues in mind
• Chavette: Female chav

Usage

“Check out those chavs on the streetcorner there.”

“That chavmobile is chavtastic.”

Elements of the stereotype

A caricature of a stereotypical chav

The essential credentials of being a chav is of someone conspicuously “common” as defined mostly by taste rather than actual social class. Elements/symptoms of the stereotypical chav are someone who:

• Wears particular clothing, such as:
  • brand-name athletic clothing and shoes. Stereotypically, this might include white trainers (sneakers or tennis shoes) and tracksuits.
  • designer clothing and accessories (usually counterfeit), in particular the distinctive tartan of Burberry
  • bling or fake gold jewellery — in particular conspicuous earrings and trinkets on chains for women, and gold sovereign rings for men.
  • sports caps or burberry caps and hoodies (for males). Often both are worn at once, with the hood pulled up over the baseball cap.
  • sports or jogging trousers, especially white. These may be worn tucked into sport socks, but more commonly they are worn with one trouser leg pulled slightly above the ankle. These trousers are also referred to as “tracky Bs,” “trackies” or “tracky bottoms,” worn falling down.
• If female, wears thickly applied make-up and large hoop earrings; makes heavy use of fake tan; and has a hairstyle in which the hair is pulled back into a tight ponytail (called a “Croydon facelift” or “council-house facelift”).
• Owns a modified car, usually with a basic original specification, but decorated in a gaudy style. The Vauxhall Nova is one of the many small hatchbacks associated with this group. It is therefore associated with Max Power magazine.
• Aspires to the latest mobile phone and other mobile gadgetry. Typically these include the Motorola RAZR series phone (particularly in the pink colour) and iPod Shuffle music player.

A charva is someone from the “unworking class” – living off benefits and not actively seeking work. It is also often used to specifically refer to the children of such people and not the parents themselves. Typically, a charva is someone who:

• lives on council estates and other low-income neighbourhoods, often supported by the “dole” (unemployment benefit / Income Support)
• takes part in underaged drinking and sex (and, consequently, is associated with teenage pregnancy).
• congregates and loiters in areas such as bus stops, shopping centres, corner-shops and fast food restaurants.
• 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). Often these crimes are committed purely for the fun of it and not the material gain most criminals engage in their activities for.

Criticism of the stereotype

The widespread use of the chav stereotype has come under criticism; many argue that it amounts simply to classism, and that social problems such as Anti-Social Behaviour Orders, teenage pregnancy, delinquency and alcoholism in low-income areas should not be scoffed at. 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 effect

The Burberry clothing brand, which quickly became synonymous with the “chav” subculture, ceased production of its branded baseball cap in 2004, in an attempt to distance itself from the stereotype. They also scaled back the use of their patented checkered/tartan design to such an extent that it now only appears on the inner linings and other very low key positions of their clothing. The company has argued that all chavs are 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.” In August 2006 a company introducing tuktuk vehicles into the south coast resort of Brighton, England named one of the vehicles the “Chavrolet” and had it painted in the distinctive Burberry tartan. However, the company soon had to withdraw this vehicle after being threatened with proceedings for breach of copyright by the Burberry company.

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. Pubs in Leicester announced that they would ban young people wearing certain fashion brands due to an association between these brands and football hooliganism.

The large supermarket chain ASDA has attempted to trademark the word “chav” for a new line of confectionery. ASDA spokeswoman Rebecca Liburd said: “With slogans from characters in shows such as Little Britain and the Catherine Tate Show providing us with more and more contemporary slang, our Whatever sweets — now nicknamed chav hearts — have become very popular with kids and grown-ups alike. We thought we needed to give them some respect and have decided to trademark our sweets.”

Media characterisation

The “chav culture” has been portrayed extensively in British media:

• The character Vicky Pollard, as portrayed by Matt Lucas in the BBC comedy series “Little Britain”, is perhaps the most iconic charva 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 (leading to her having several children), 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 stereotype of a charva female. Her catchphrase is “Am I bothered?” (pronounced “Am I bov-vad?”) Tate performed a sketch as Lauren at the 2005 Royal Variety Performance.

• The BBC Three sketch show “Tittybangbang” also features three “chavette” characters called Colleen, Melanie and Natalie, who all speak in thick West Indian “Patois” dialect, even though all three of them are white.

• Other portrayals include that of the notorious “Devvo” on the popular website Fat-Pie and E4. Devvo epitomizes the behaviour of a typical charva, with his violent behaviour and constant swearing. Such comical attributes as his driving ban without having ever held a licence and his begging for money whilst denouncing Third World charity hold similar pretexts in reality with regard to “chavvish” lifestyle. Occasionally thought to be genuine, Devvo actually is played by Crust, a friend of David Firth (the owner of Fat-Pie), and he lends his voice to several of the flash animations on the site.

• The British magazine Viz includes a character called Tasha Slappa, an exaggerated teenage female charva. The strip has satirised charva culture since its inception in the 1990s. (The character was originally called “Kappa Slappa” until the Kappa company filed a lawsuit against “Viz”. The term “Kappa Slappa” was used in the North East prior to its adoption by “Viz” to describe a female charva. “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.

• British magazine Tatler ran a story with the tagline “Prince Harry and his chavistocracy” at the apex of Harry's party antics.

• On the Ftn programme Street Crime UK 2 in 2002, the word "chaver" was shown to be "Geordie for yob"

• 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 knackered Converse / or tracky bottoms tucked in socks.”

• British band The Libertines have also expressed their distaste of chavs. Their song “Time for Heroes” includes the observation, “There are fewer more distressing sights than that of an English man in a baseball cap.”

• Ali G, a character played by British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen (particularly in Channel 4’s Da Ali G Show) satirises the chav stereotype.

See also

Social categorisation

• Stereotype
• Social class
• Moral panic
• Folk devil
• Lumpenproletariat
• Underclass
• Subculture
• Deviancy

UK subcultures

• Chav
• Essex girl
• Essex man
• Townie
• Boy racer
• Yobbo
• Scally
• Junglist
• Pikey
• Casuals
• Mod (lifestyle)
• Emo (slang)
• Rocker
• Skinhead
• Suedeheads
• Punk subculture
• Ned (Scotland)
• Spide and Millie (female) (Northern Ireland)

Similar stereotypes from outside the UK

Rest of Europe

• Scanger (male) and Howiya (female), Sham (Ireland Rural)
• Norry, Knacker, Scumbag, Spide (Ireland)
• Racaille, Loubard (France)
• Cañi, Cani, Makineto, Bakala, Killo, Calorro, Macarra, Cateto (Spain, depending on the city)
• Brian (Denmark)
• Pissis Finland)
• Harry, Soss,(Norway)
• Dres (Poland)
• Guna, Mitra (Portugal)
• Hamallu (Malta)
• Gopnik, Bydlo, Patsan, Shpana (Russia)
• Coatto (Italy)
• Klošar (Croatia)
• Hnakki (Iceland)
• Manelist (Romania)
• Kickers (Sweden)
• Gaggio (Sardinia)
• Klošar (Serbia)
• Forsas, Urlaganas (Lithuania)
• Urla (Latvia)

North America

• White trash (USA)
• Wigger (USA)
• Hoser (Canada)

Caribbean and Latin America

• Mano, Nigga and Rappers (Brazil)
• Caco (Puerto Rico)
• Naco (Mexico)
• Plancha (Uruguay and Argentina)
• Chopo (Dominican Republic)
• Cholero (Guatemala)
• Flaite (Chile)
• Wircho (Venezuela)

The Pacific

• Drongo (Australia)
• Bogan (Australia)
• Kapper (Australia)
• Westie (New Zealand and Australia)
• Wu-Tanger (Australia)
• Yobbo (Australia)
• Ferral (Australia)

Asia

• Ah beng (male) & Ah Lian (female) (Singapore)
• Poser (Malaysia)
• Ars (ערס) (Israel)
• Yankee (ヤンキー) or Sukeban (スケバン) (female) (Japan)
• Kogal (コギャル) (female) (Japan)
• Azaar or Nawari أزعر نوري ابن شوارع (Arabia)
• Nalnari (날날이) (Korea)

Further reading

• Keith Hayward and Majid Yar (2006). "The "chav" phenomenon: Consumption, media and the construction of a new underclass". Crime, Media, Culture. 2 (1): 9–28. doi:10.1177/1741659006061708.

External links

Articles

• Larcombe, Duncan (2006-04-10). "Future bling of England". The Sun Online. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
• Ward, David (2004-10-09). "Get hip to Chav as this year's wizard word". The Guardian. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
• Jackson, Melissa (2005-01-10). "Music to deter yobs by". BBC News. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
• "Baseball cap dropped by Burberry due to association with football hooligans". Sky News. 2004-09-10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
• Lewis, Jemima (2004-02-01). "In defence of snobbery". Daily Telegraph. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

Other

• Burberry
• BBC Language Lab survey
• The Chav Test
• A satirical article about chavs
• Leave Chavs Alone