What exactly is a chav?

[beniki]

I always thought that Chav was the shortened word for 'Cheltnam Average', but I guess that might be wrong.

Essentially they're the wannabe gangstas of the UK, wearing hoodies and hanging out at night generally being dicks.

Often they blame this on the harshness of their lives, but with free education, healthcare and a benefit system that leaves sane people wondering why they work, this is a pretty lousy excuse.

And the sad thing is, they're really not very good at social mis-behaviour. They'll do some graffiti, but lack the artistic skill to make it recognisable, or even the sense to bring something other than white spray cans. They'll hang out outside the local Tesco's trying to be hard, but with elderly people doing their shopping offering them sweets.

And for some reason, they never see that wearing their jeans so low other people can see their underpants just makes them look silly. I was behind a guy on the Tube who was actually constantly holding on to them to keep them at just the right height... but the poor bastard didn't realise there was a big brown stain on them.

So what is a chav?

Daft.

 

[TheLiham]

SNIP

That video makes me Lol

Anyhoos Chav: Adjective: A young person who lives in a house with no more than 3 rooms which they recieved through either prostitution of their 12 year old sister or benefit fraud. Never has I.Q over 5, over 1 GCSE, or any sense of social skills. Hates anyone with individuality and/or a back bone. Generally either ends up unemployed, in jail, laying bricks until their 80, dead in afghanistan. Can be discerned by their hunting cry "DIFFERENT!!!" if they can pronounce it.

 

[SenseOfTumour]

What's great is we can all abuse them and mock them, as they make the choice to dress like that and act like that, finally a minority we can hate without feeling guilty I don't think I've ever seen a topic like this where 100% of the posts either agree that chavs are a waste of good skin grafts and should hand themselves in at the nearest hospital for parts, or just have never met one.

Take off the cap, take at least 12 of the speakers out of your shitty car, stop using swearing instead of punctuation, and we'll be happy to treat you as a normal member of society.

Oh, and who in the chav world decided that an exhaust you can hear from a mile away is something to be proud of? Seems that having a car that is essentially broken is a status symbol.

 

[JimJamJahar]

These two comedy sketches manage to be both very funny and give you an insight into what chavs are actually like

 

[eggy32]

There's a famous video online of a chav just vandalising a wall, kicking it, trying to smash it, because, well it's not his, so he may as well destroy it. However it's a wall made of concrete slabs held between posts, and this chav doesn't have a passing grade in basic physics. It still makes me wince, but there's still some feeling of natural justice when he smashes a slab with his stupid foot, and the slabs above slide down onto his outstretched and now shattered leg. I wouldn't wish it on anyone, but his stupidity combined with his casual desire to wreck other people's stuff kinda makes karma happen.

feeling sorry for him is like feeling sorry for someone who smashes store windows with his face and gets cut.

Found it!


I know it looks really painful and I probably shouldn't laugh but he's an idiot for trying to kick a fence down anyway.

 

[Floppertje]

wow.... you just made me realize there's chavs in the NL's too... at least there were where i used to work. that was at a food distribution centre, so I guess it fits the stereotype. now that i know what chavs are like... I pity you, britain.

 

[Kuriko]

We have Chavs everywhere now.

It's pretty damn sucky sometimes. xP

 

[mr_rubino]

As a stereotyped 'Emo/scene kid' (ugh) living in a mostly chav populated area, I think I can settle a pretty good stereotype here:
-

So lyk, wen chavz typp day nrmly do tings lyk diz, u get me? iz baaare anoyin bt dn mess yh me an ma ladz gona cum dwn 2 ur endz an merk u up hrd yh, gna be sum nex ting, dnt gt al jamii yh?

swere dwn, if ne of u boiz gt hypd or strt vexin ima kik dwn ur door an cleer al ur tings, jak ur gash an bax u strayt up, pussyole. Alow urself yh.
-

Annoying thing is, I actually have to talk like that to avoid getting mugged. wowooowoo.

But yeah, normally wears a tracksuit, shaven head, hood is always up, sometimes ride around with BMX's...

...Just be glad you haven't encountered chav girls yet...

"Innit?"

 

[PunkRex]

For background, I'm an American and hopefully someone can make this subject relatable to me.

I think I have some understanding what a chav is, but this based on television and a small trickle of Irish folks traveling to my city during the summertime.

From what I know, a chav refers to a kid from the UK that comes from a working class family and dresses in track clothes, wears a chain, and often a Burberry lid. During wintertime, a chav is usually spotted with a big coat that has a hood donning a fake fur trim. Chavs tend to be considered something of a lowlife (maybe?).

There is a lot I don't understand though, more so the deeper meaning of a chav and what it implies. Is the word derogatory or do "chavs" refer to themselves as such? Are chavs considered to be white trash? If so, are they more like America's ghetto white trash or what we considered to be southern white trash (hicks, rednecks, etc.)? Are chavs what we consider "wiggers", or are they more of the Jersey trash stereotype? Maybe a hybrid?

TL;DR: How do chavs fit into society, how are they viewed upon, what makes a chav a "chav", and what are their stereotypical qualities?

Everyone keeps saying the word wigger which is deffinatly not always the case. Im from Rothihihte (London) which is right next to Bermondsey (a chav breeding ground) and although many are wiggerish, saying that its solely white people is not true, there are many black and half cast chavs, hell im sure I saw an asian one once. Not to say chavs as a whole are accepting, many are racist, REALLY RACIST, but this tends to be the ones who dont consider them selfs "gangster" but instead "old school" (see such films including Lock, Stock and Rock'n'Roller).

To be blunt, its become a really general term for some low life butt hole off an estate. This term Counsel Housed And Violent basically sums it up. The things you described tend to be the stereotypes of a chav which are not to say wrong, just abit out dated.

 

[PunkRex]

As a stereotyped 'Emo/scene kid' (ugh) living in a mostly chav populated area, I think I can settle a pretty good stereotype here:
-

So lyk, wen chavz typp day nrmly do tings lyk diz, u get me? iz baaare anoyin bt dn mess yh me an ma ladz gona cum dwn 2 ur endz an merk u up hrd yh, gna be sum nex ting, dnt gt al jamii yh?

swere dwn, if ne of u boiz gt hypd or strt vexin ima kik dwn ur door an cleer al ur tings, jak ur gash an bax u strayt up, pussyole. Alow urself yh.
-

Annoying thing is, I actually have to talk like that to avoid getting mugged. wowooowoo.

But yeah, normally wears a tracksuit, shaven head, hood is always up, sometimes ride around with BMX's...

...Just be glad you haven't encountered chav girls yet...

ERW ERW ERW CHAV GIRLS AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH, I F'ING HATE LONDON...... sometimes.

 

[Kuriko]

ERW ERW ERW CHAV GIRLS AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH, I F'ING HATE LONDON...... sometimes.

Try Manchester. That place is MUCH worse.

That, and they have a more fitting accent in Manchester.

 

[MisterM2402]

Note: Scottish chavs are called "neds" (commonly taken to stand for Non-Educated Delinquent).


If you aren't Scottish (like me, Bender) and actually understand what he is singing about, have a cookie.

 

[PunkRex]

ERW ERW ERW CHAV GIRLS AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH, I F'ING HATE LONDON...... sometimes.

Try Manchester. That place is MUCH worse.

That, and they have a more fitting accent in Manchester.

The worst is when their over weight and wearing the same track suit they had when they were 13 so its all tight and riding up over their... EEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Wardnath]

If they're anything like the Australian bogans...

 

[Red Right Hand]

Snippity Snip

I think this is a better representation of neds in general. He is also a comical genius.


EDIT: Also thought I should mention that the wee man isn't actually a ned. He's a middle class university graduate.

 

[Kuriko]

ERW ERW ERW CHAV GIRLS AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH, I F'ING HATE LONDON...... sometimes.

Try Manchester. That place is MUCH worse.

That, and they have a more fitting accent in Manchester.

The worst is when their over weight and wearing the same track suit they had when they were 13 so its all tight and riding up over their... EEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!

... I shudder at the thought of it.

 

[Kortney]

That's them.

 

[Palademon]

You got it. Just remember the biggest problem is that somehow they have learnt to reproduce.