Stop use of 'chav' - think tank

was watching tv this morning and this made me laugh.

People should stop using the word chav, a left-wing think tank has suggested.

The widely-used term is, according to the dictionaries, derogatory slang for a young person of low social status, often wearing designer sportswear.

The Fabian Society's Tom Hampson says the term betrays a deep level of "class hatred" and is "deeply offensive to a largely voiceless group".

But Simon Donald, the co-founder of Viz Magazine, said the word was meant to be an insult - and that was fine.

'Deeply offensive'

Mr Hampson, who is Fabian Society editorial director, says in an article due to be published in the Fabian Review that the word is "sneering and patronising", and compared it to other controversial words such as "faggot" and "pikey".

This is middle class hatred of the white working class, pure and simple

Fabian Society's Tom Hampson
"Some uses of some words fall below the threshold of acceptability and some are definitely above it.

"Chav is way above that threshold. It is deeply offensive to a largely voiceless group and - especially when used in normal middle-class conversation or on national TV - it betrays a deep and revealing level of class hatred."

And he said "it is distancing, turning the chav into the kind of feral beast that exists only in tabloid headlines".

It was an example of the middle classes using language to belittle the lower classes, he said.

"The middle classes have always used language to distinguish themselves from those a few rungs below them on the ladder - we all know their old serviette/napkin, lounge/living room, settee/sofa tricks. But this is something new.

"This is middle class hatred of the white working class, pure and simple."

'Loutish behaviour'

But Mr Donald, speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle, said it was the Fabian Society itself which was patronising.

It is part of today's vocabulary whether we like it or not

Tony Thorne
Language consultant

"Amongst everyone who I can see who uses the term it's meant as a term to put others down and there's always going to be language in society that does that.

"And I think the Fabian Society's attempts to step in and become the voice of the working classes is frankly patronising."

The Oxford English Dictionary classes chav as derogatory British slang.

It is defined as "a young person of a type characterised by brash and loutish behaviour and the wearing of designer-style clothes (esp. sportswear); usually with connotations of a low social status".

'Genuine social phenomenon'

Tony Thorne, a language consultant for Kings College London, said people who were called chavs actually used the word themselves.

"It is part of today's vocabulary, whether we like it or not," he said.

The word had originally been used by travellers to mean "friend", he added.

Its modern meaning became widely used in 2004, although it had been used in certain areas such as Essex and Kent for some time.

Mr Thorne said: "What chav seems to me to mean is an aggressive, self-assured, unashamedly materialistic person. I don't think 'chavs' are an innocent group of victims.

"We're dealing with a genuine social phenomenon.

"Chav is like 'skinhead' - it describes a type of behaviour and appearance that's very identifiable."



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7509968.stm

now if we can't say the word CHAV how shall we describe these people? it will be more offensive to call them:

Lowlife cunts!!

(sorry for the langauge)

if we can't use the word chav, I want the phrase "House wife" banned, because its degrading to housewives when some of them are actually men!!!

I say let the word CHAV stay

 

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Why not just say that they are people from a different social structure?

 

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but isnt chav easier to say all round?

if we cant say chav which is a proper word then what can we say?

its just some society gone mad, a chav is a chav, a goth is a goth, emo = emo, they are words to describe people

 

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I know i would not want to be called Chav.

 

i dont want to be called a "Housewife" i think it degrades my roll in life, tough titties to CHAVS

 

To me no, to younger people perhaps so.:shrug:

 

they dress like chavs, act like chavs, speak like chavs, then why not call them chavs?

i dont think its offensive, at all

 

Yes, but you are stigmatizing them. A house wife is a house wife, like i would be a house husband if i find a woman to support me and she goes to work.

I say Chav is wrong. Sorry.

 

It is a word, sometimes words don't always "fit" the times. I don't think I like the word "chav" because it is very close to "shiv" or "chap".

 

I also think it was coined with malicious intent. Sounds like SCAB.

 

no its not stigmatizing them at all,

its an old romany word so why can't it be used today? it was used has a word to describe romany cherry pickers they called themselves it so why cant we use it?

people should also be banning using the word "gay" to describe somthing stupid

 

ffs the word scab is a true word, like chav is, a scab is a spot that is getting better be growing a hard surface

 

First time i heard of Chav was here but to me it seems to be similar to calling a kid stupid all the time and the he grows up thinking he is stupid. Maybe i am over reacting but at least the government is sticking up for people born into lower income bracket.

 

no the goverment just want to make life easier for themselves, i want to ban black people calling me a "cracker" can i do that? i'm offended by that!!

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I see what you mean. Even in the U.S political correctness is getting out of hand. I think in the U.S it is hard for us to understand this particular term because i dont think we ever had a word to describe - a young person of low social status. Not that i am aware of.

 

since when have chavs worked?

 

I like it. How is it pronounced?

Chov-with a short O sound?
Chav- with a short A sound?
Shav? Shov? chave?
C'mon, I need another derogatory slur for my vocabulary.

 

"low social status, often wearing designer sportswear."

This is the best definition they could come up with? Doesn't that describe about 90% of the population of Indonesia?
And what about all the Arabs you see in the pictures with Nike air shirts and no shoes?

 

OK, here's a more scientific diagram detailing a typical female "Chav".

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Another distinguishing attributes is an affection for plaid ball caps.

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i like that!!

they dont work!!