Chav

Chav (pronounced /ˈtʃæv/ (CHAV)) is a derogatory term used to describe young people in the United Kingdom. Also known as a charver in Yorkshire and North East England^[1] "chav" is often used to describe aggressive teenagers, of white working class background, who repeatedly engage in anti-social behaviour such as street drinking, drug abuse and rowdiness, or other forms of juvenile delinquency.^[2]

Contents 1 Etymology 2 Criticism of the stereotype 3 Commercial effect 4 Characterisation in the media 5 See also 6 References 7 Further reading 7.1 Articles

Etymology

Chav probably has its origins in the Romani word "chavi", meaning "child"^[3] (or "chavo", meaning "boy",^[4] or "chavvy", meaning "youth"^[5]). This theory is supported by etymologist Michael Quinion.^[6] This word may have entered the English language through the Geordie dialect word charva, meaning a rough child.^[7] This is similar to the colloquial Spanish word chaval, meaning "kid" or "guy".^[4][8]

The derivative Chavette has been used to describe his female counterpart.

The Oxford University Press has said that the word is "generally thought to come from Chatham girls",^[4] and Michael Quinion says that that is "where the term is best known and probably originated".^[6]

Many folk etymologies have sprung up around the word. These include the backronym "Council Housed And Violent",^[1] 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").^[9] However, Michael Quinion has said that "we must treat supposed acronymic origins with the greatest suspicion; these examples are definitely recent after-the-event inventions as attempts to explain the word, though very widely known and believed."^[6]

In the 1990s and early 2000s, prior to the increased interest in chav culture, the people we today know as a 'chavs' were referred to with a large variety of dialect words, recorded by research done in 2002.^[10] By 2005, media references to 'chavs' had spread the word throughout Britain.

Criticism of the stereotype

A 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.^[11]

The widespread use of the "chav" stereotype has come in for some criticism.^[12] Some argue^[13] that it amounts to simple snobbery and elitism,^[14] and that serious social problems such as Anti-Social Behaviour, teenage pregnancy, delinquency and underage drinking in low-income areas are not subjects for derision. Critics of the term have argued that its users are "neo-snobs",^[15] and that its increasing popularity raises questions about how British society deals with social mobility and class.^[2] 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.^[16] The writer John Harris argued along similar lines in a 2007 article in The Guardian.^[17]

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."^[18]

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.^[19][20] 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 city 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.^[21]

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."^[22]

Characterisation in the media

Response to the stereotype has ranged from amusement to criticism that it is a new manifestation of classism.^[14]

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"^[23] in 2004.^[24] 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.

• 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.^[25] 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.

• R&B singer/rapper Jentina, footballer Wayne Rooney^[26] and his wife Coleen,^[27] rapper Lady Sovereign,^[28] glamour model Jordan,^[29] actress Danniella Westbrook,^[2] former Big Brother contestant Jade Goody,^[30][31][32] and Kerry Katona^[33] have also been labelled "chavs" by British tabloids and broadsheets.

• Characters from the 2006 British Drama film Kidulthood adapt to a chav culture and appearance such as Jay.

• In the 2007 film St Trinians the 'Chavs' are depicted as being anti-social bullies.

• The character, clothing, attitude and musical interests of Lauren Cooper and her friends Lisa and Ryan in the BBC comedy series The Catherine Tate Show have been associated with the chav stereotype.^[34] The comedy series Little Britain features a character with some similarities, Vicky Pollard.^[35]

• 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 an episode of the revived Doctor Who (episode "New Earth"), antagonist Cassandra takes over the body of Rose Tyler. 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!"
• In the Channel Four drama series Misfits, the character Kelly is a stereotypical Chav and is often referred to as a one.
• In the Channel Four / G4 TV show Freaky, the magician Michael J. Fitch uses a persona called "The Chav" who dresses in chav fashion, and subverts and ridicules authority figures with cons and tricks.
• In the BBC Show Outnumbered, The first episode of Series 3 (April 2010), called "The Family Outing", had the character Ben counting Chavs while travelling through London on the top deck of an open top bus. When Ben reached 28, his father said "Ben you cannot play spot the chav". ^[36]

See also

References

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. 

Articles

• Larcombe, Duncan (2006-04-10). "Future bling of England". The Sun Online. http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006160428,00.html. Retrieved 2007-03-06. 
• Ward, David (2004-10-09). "Get hip to Chav as this year's wizard word". The Guardian (London: Guardian Unlimited). http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1330487,00.html. Retrieved 2007-03-06. 
• Jackson, Melissa (2005-01-10). "Music to deter yobs by". BBC News Magazine (bbc.co.uk). http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4154711.stm. Retrieved 2007-03-06. 
• "End Of 'Hooligan' Cap". Sky News. 2004-09-10. http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-13218423,00.html. Retrieved 2007-03-06. 
• Lewis, Jemima (2004-02-01). "In defence of snobbery". London: Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/3602136/In-defence-of-snobbery.html. Retrieved 2007-03-06. 
• Harris, John (2007-03-06). "So now we've finally got our very own 'white trash'". The Guardian (London: Guardian Unlimited). http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2027432,00.html. Retrieved 2007-03-06.