Chav

[IndieSinger]

Does anyone know the etymology of the term Chav? I'm guesing it is a corruption of the term used in the North-East for decades (Chavver, Charve or Charver - but all pronounced with the long A sound). How did it spread almost universally over the UK as Chav (with a short A sound (possibly due to the long A vowel being pronounced slightly shorter by people in the North-East?)? And I'm guessing it's not the Council House and Violent acronym..!

[pureamber]

Michael Quinion on his very interesting website worldwidewords.org says:

"The term that has become especially widely known in recent weeks, at least in southern England, is the one borrowed for the name of the Web site, 'chav'. A writer in the Independent thought it derived from the name of the town of Chatham in Kent, where the term is best known and probably originated. But it seems that the word is from a much older underclass, the gypsies, many of whom have lived in that area for generations. Chav is almost certainly from the Romany word for a child, chavi, recorded from the middle of the nineteenth century. We know it was being used as a term of address to an adult man a little later in the century, but it hasn�t often been recorded in print since and its derivative chav is quite new to most people."

I personally have nearly always called them "pikeys" or "townies", but even those terms refer to two different types of people. It's a complicated SE London thing! Lately people have started calling them "chavs" around here, but that's probably more likely to be through the growing popularity of the "Chav Scum" website (www.chavscum.co.uk).

[Greedyfly]

I live in the North east - and the only time I have come across this ridiculous word is the papers.  

[IndieSinger]

Thanks for the information, pureamber.

Greedyfly - I live in the North East, too. I know people from around Newcastle-upon-Tyne who were using the term even before I was born.

[sirpavlos]

In scotland, especially round Glasgow, they're known as neds. For another good website check out www.glasgowsurvival.com - it's very informative and absolutely hilarious. A mate of mine directed me to it last year. By the way, I heard them called charvers in the NE about 10 years ago!

[cheyenne]

when i was a kid in the sixties we all use to call each other chavies.it was a friendly term for a mate down in the west country!!

[flanker]

I've always known them as pikeys, but have adopted chav as everybody knows the type of person you are referring to. Unfortunately, the more sensitive amongst us see the word pikey as racist.

[thewillow]

The word in Ireland is skanger.

 

[ali_alic]

I agree it comes from the gypsey angle - however, we in Essex like to think of it as Council House Aggressively Violent...

[amarillis]

The word in Australia is bogan.

[AngusL]

I've come across chav a lot, but only ever on the very East, somewhat South of Scotland. Even a little farther in, toward Falkirk (where I live) and Stirling, it's always neds. (Non educated delinquants)

[tomskinner1]

I go to school in cheltenham. For years we've been saying chav and have been always convinced that the term stands for 'cheltenham average'. Of this we are sure, and i would like to raise the question mark once and for all.

[cheesyfeet20]

The word chav is taking from the abbreviation

"Council House And Violent"



this being where the majority of "chavs" originate and also there lack of temper