Chav ( ()) is a
derogatory term applied to certain
young people in the
United Kingdom. The stereotypical "chav" is a
white aggressive teenager or young adult, who is usually, though not always, of
working class background,
who often engages in
anti-social behaviour,
such as street drinking, drug abuse and rowdy behaviour, and is often assumed to be unemployed or in a low paid job. It first appeared in English dictionaries in 2005.
The term
Charver is more widely used in
North East England.
Stereotypical "chavs" typically wear tracksuits and hoodies made by sporting brands such as Nike,
Reebok,
Burberry and Adidas and listen to artists like
N-Dubz.
A stereotypical "chav"
Response to the term has ranged from amusement to criticism that it is a new manifestation of
classism.
[ ] One
BBC TV documentary suggested that "chav" culture is an evolution of previous working-class
youth subcultures associated with particular commercial clothing styles, such as
mods,
skinheads and
casuals. The term has been associated with
juvenile delinquency, the
ASBO Generation and
yob culture.
Etymology
The word may have its origins in
Romani language.
One suggested etymology for "chav" is that it derives from the
Romani word
chavo, meaning boy (cf. "
yob" - a reversal of boy).
This is similar to the colloquial
Spanish word
chaval, meaning "kid" or "guy".
The Romani
chavo appears to have transferred to the
Nonantum, Massachusetts dialect as "chabby", though without the negative connotations of "chav".
Many
folk etymologies have sprung up around the word. These include the
backronym "
Council Housed And Violent",
and the suggestion that pupils at
Cheltenham Ladies' College and
Cheltenham College used the word to describe the young men of the town ("Cheltenham Average").
Characterisation in the media
By 2004, the word was used 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.In the 2007 film
St Trinians the 'Chavs' are depicted as being anti-social bullies.
- 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, simply making a mockery of the subject. The British car-tuning magazine Max Power once had a beige Mk3 Vauxhall Cavalier stickered to make it look like the Burberry check, named it the "Chavalier" and gave it to the band.
- In the 2005 reality TV programme Bad Lads' Army: Officer Class, a number of small time thieves and street brawlers underwent 1950s style National Service Army training to see which of them would be worthy of becoming a British Army officer. The motto of the show was to convert "chavs" into "chaps".
- In the revived Doctor Who serial New Earth, antagonist Cassandra takes over the body of Rose Tyler. In a tongue-in-cheek reinforcement of the often classist nature of the term, Cassandra, who considers herself very much a member of the upper class, sees herself in a mirror as the working-class Rose and exclaims in horror, "Oh my God! I'm a chav!"
Criticism of the stereotype
The widespread use of the "chav" stereotype has come under criticism; some argue that it amounts to simple
snobbery and elitism,
and that serious social problems such as
Anti-Social Behaviour Orders, teenage pregnancy, delinquency and
alcoholism in low-income areas are not subjects for derision. Critics of the term have argued that its users 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. The writer
John Harris argued along similar lines in a 2007 article in
The Guardian.
Commercial effect
Burberry is a clothing company whose products became associated with the "chav" stereotype. Burberry's appeal to "chav" fashion sense is a sociological example of
prole drift, where an up-market product begins to be consumed
en masse by a lower socio-economic group. Burberry has argued that the brand's popular association with "chav" fashion sense is linked to
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."
The company has taken a number of steps to distance itself from the stereotype. It ceased production of its own branded
baseball cap in 2004 and has scaled back the use of its trademarked 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. It has also taken legal action against high-profile infringements of the brand. In August 2006, a company introducing
tuk-tuk vehicles into the south coast town of
Brighton,
England named one the "Chavrolet", which had it painted in the distinctive Burberry tartan. However, the company soon had to withdraw this vehicle when Burberry threatened proceedings for breach of copyright.
The large supermarket chain
Asda has attempted to trademark the word "chav" for a new line of confectionery. A spokeswoman 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."
See also
Dynamics:
