The Chav Phenomenum, New word, old problem, damn funny site Options

[Smiler]

I almost put this in Daily Life but didnt thing that they're a daily life issue/ problem although I would willingly be corrected. I put it here cos I've noticed the word cropping up a lot on the radio and the newspapers recently whereas there was never really 'mention' of a collected/generic group name that I knew of.

After growing up and still hanging aroung with (and still standing out from) a large group of people that are now being called Chavs--> seeChavScum - I wanna know if anyone around the country (if not world) knew of this word before the last month or so.
I've travelled quite a bit and met people from all over the UK and the World; as close a description I've gotten (and used) for this 'group' was Townies. Why the change all of a sudden?

I'm not ordinarilly a boxy person in general but admit they're easy to use so long as you're aware theyr're only a rough guide (Gothy, Punky, Skatey, Grungey whatevery). Townie sorta fit ya know. Italians, Spanish and UK mates of mine all knew broadly who you meant if you called the group Townies. Where has this new term come from???

And more of a direct media link- Visit that site up there- You can name your Chav baby and everything (Mine'll be Elvis Storm for a boy and Sapphire Dawn for a girl which while I'd never use does actually sound really nice, at least in theory)
Also- you can check out ChavScum to investigate the spread in your cities.

On yet another note, anyone know of similiar mickey take sites for other boxed groups? Nothing overly wrong, just a bit of fun sites? Let me know

[Snugglebum the D...]

I wanna know if anyone around the country (if not world) knew of this word before the last month or so.

I hadn't heard the term until about a month ago - but I have it on good authority (a mate who hails from Birmingham) that it's been about up country for years.

As a Southern girl it's always been townie

[CommieBastard]

I've heard a lot of terms for them - they call them neds in Scotland, I believe.

This site is a good one for rivetheads.

[saucy_tara]

My chav baby will be Jolene Charmaine or Tyson Gary Exeter has a growing number of chavscum, it's quite worrying. They fight with the marines. And the police. And everyone else...

[snooodlysnoosnoo...]

Like snuggles I'm a southerner so have always known them as townies but I learn of chavs a year or two ago.

[Forever Unknown]

Yesh... I've recently been exposed to the whole 'chav' thing in the past six months or so. It truely is a fabulous word.

What Snugs will hate is that my Chavvy kids name is 'Kai'...

[Usurper MrTeapot]

Fat-Pie has a corner devoted to a Chav. It's the funniest thing I've ever seen and has had a few updates lately. As to being completely genuine I do not know but it is fairly accurate none the less.

*MrTeapot's stamp of approval*

[Sir Psycho Sexy]

I've known the word chav for a good few years, it's not a new word by any means, from what I can work out, it's a London (and surrounding areas) term for them, I seem to remember someone telling me it was slang for gypsy children as Pikey is slang for gypsies (see Snatch).

But yes, most seem to call them townies, which to me doesn't really describe well enough just how bad they really are, unless it's immediately followed by the work w@nker, e.g. townie w@anker.

I also believe they will one day rule the world as a chav female is capable of breeding at 15 (some even younger) and at a rate similar to that of bunny rabbits, I'm not kidding either, it's a thought that scares me, it'll be the dark ages....but with text messages! oh the horror!

edit: do you reckon chavicide is illegal?

[El Nino]

edit: do you reckon chavicide is illegal?

If it is, it shouldn't be.

[eleraama]

Well, from what I've been able to glean from the site, it looks like we have the same here in the states- but we usually tend to apply the term 'ghetto' to describe it, as ous developed from places like Detroit.

[Jonman]

The term 'chav' has been around for years and years. I remember hearing it well over 10 years ago. It's been bubbling up into the more public conscience over the last year or so.

There is a school of thought that says that the whole chav phenomenom (especially sites like Chavscum) is just a socio-economic form of prejudice - i.e. racism based on class instead of skin colour. The Chavscum site is particularly shameless in it's derision. It's a pretty safe guess that the authors are well-off middle class twentysomethings.

[Polocrunch]

And they type appallingly! The classist snob and the Grammar Nazi within me set upon each other when I read that site.

[CommieBastard]

There is a school of thought that says that the whole chav phenomenom (especially sites like Chavscum) is just a socio-economic form of prejudice - i.e. racism based on class instead of skin colour. The Chavscum site is particularly shameless in it's derision. It's a pretty safe guess that the authors are well-off middle class twentysomethings.

Aye, as claimed by Johann Hari over at the Independent. Personally I wouldn't care either way about chavs if they weren't so bloody abusive the entire time.

[Sir Psycho Sexy]

Personally I wouldn't care either way about chavs if they weren't so bloody abusive the entire time.

pretty much how I feel, there was one in the barkery eariler who tried to jump the queue because he claimed to be late for work then got really arsey because no one would let him, I expect they would have let him if he asked nicely...(he was in front of me anyway)

[Smiler]

You see, I've grown up with guys that are practically on the site as fine upstanding examples of Chav-dom but growing up in London I cant believe I haven't heard of I before.
At least my boys aren't too bad. They would be overly loutish but none can really pull it off. Its just such an odd word. Townies always seemed to be such an apt word. Almost universal.

And then, I'm just watching 'Only Fools...' and they've just gone and used it on there!!!!!!!!!!

[Daedalus]

I'm another southerner, but I've always known them as Chavs (5ish years anyway, basically since Chavdom became really overt in Cheltenham), but I've known the other terms for a while too. Might be because of the false belief of some people in Cheltenham that 'Chav' actually stands for CHeltenham AVerage, but that's rubbish, as the same word isn't exclusive to there.

What puzzles me about Chavs (besides the aggression, the obsession with all things plated gold or Burberry and the complete ignorance) is that they seem to share a single dialect and accent wherever in the country they're from, at least in my experience.

[Smiler]

Almost, you're right, bad english whether accented or not is a must. Not so much slang or lingo or even something derived from mixed foreign languages. Just bad diction. (Although it must be understood I cant be seen as a fine example of how English should be spoken-is anyone?- Im just pointing out something I've noticed.

[CommieBastard]

Might be because of the false belief of some people in Cheltenham that 'Chav' actually stands for CHeltenham AVerage, but that's rubbish, as the same word isn't exclusive to there.

I heard - from my girlfriend's mother, actually - that it stands for Council House And Violent, which would seem to support the "class prejudice" theory. Personally, I'm suspicious of any terms supposedly beginning as acronyms, I don't think that happens much.

[mooooooooooopo]

I heard - from my girlfriend's mother, actually - that it stands for Council House And Violent, which would seem to support the "class prejudice" theory. Personally, I'm suspicious of any terms supposedly beginning as acronyms, I don't think that happens much.

But it matches up neatly with Port Out Starboard Home (posh, of course), another class related term that is acronym based.

[CommieBastard]

But it matches up neatly with Port Out Starboard Home (posh, of course), another class related term that is acronym based.

True, but Port Out Starboard Home was used as a phrase before it was shortened to an acronym. As far as I know, Council House And Violent was not.

[Mutilation]

Actually Commie, that phrase was used before the word replaced townie.

[Faerieryn]

As far as I'm aware the word Chav comes from some sort of romanian dialect (hence the gypsy link) not sure what it meant originally but it does have some link I know. I didn't use the word until recently. The closest I ever got was "scally" thanks to my friend in the north, Cath. The scary thing is the fact that most ofthe kids I teach actually use it as a positive comment. I mean... Aaaaargh!!!

[Jonman]

What puzzles me about Chavs (besides the aggression, the obsession with all things plated gold or Burberry and the complete ignorance) is that they seem to share a single dialect and accent wherever in the country they're from, at least in my experience.

What? Are you a mentalist?
Just like anyone else, they've got their regional accents. Leicester scallies talk with a leicester ('less-taaaar") twang. Croydon-based chumps have all got their 'saaarft laaandaaaan fing' going on, 'yegetmi?' And Glasgow schemies? Take a wild guess what they sound like?

[saucy_tara]

1. What do you call a Chav in a box?
Innit.

2. What do you call a Chav in a filing cabinet?
Sorted.

3. What do you call a Chav in a box with a lock on it?
Safe.

4. What do you call an Eskimo Chav?
Innuinnit.

5. Why are Chavs like slinkies?
They have no real use but it's great to watch one fall down a flight
of stairs.

6. What do you call a Chavette in a white tracksuit?
The bride.

7. You're in your car and you see a Chav on a bike, why should you try
not to hit him?
It might be your bike.

8. What's the difference between a Chav and a coconut?
One's thick and hairy, the other's a coconut.

9. What's the first question at a Chav quiz night?
"What you lookin' at?"

10. How do you get 100 Chavs into a phone box?
Paint three stripes on it.

11. Two Chavs in a car without any music. Who's driving?
The police.

[Forever Unknown]

How do you get 100 Chavs into a phone box?
Paint three stripes on it.

Most certainly my favourite.

But has anyone actually met nice ones? This whole thread is very anti-chavs, but to be honest, I've met loads who are really quite lovely once you get past the fact that they really do look ridiculous (but then, who doesn't?). Unless I just dreamed that bit...