Little Book of Chavs

Bok Lee

Description

Chavs are identifiable by their attitude (anti anything to do with authority, art, culture or the good of society) and clothes. They want money and lots of it, but don't want to have to work for it. Katie Price is a Chav icon. Reality shows and the Lottery are favourite Chav TV programmes. Here is the branded guide to Britain's new elite - the group taking over high streets up and down the country. Love them or hate them, there's no ignoring them!

Sujets

• Lifestyle
• Humour

Informations

• Publié par: Crombie Jardine Publishing Limited
• Date de parution: 15 octobre 2004
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781291407976
• Langue: English

Extrait

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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Lee Bok is not his real name.
 
INTRODUCTION
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In the summer of 2004, most people in the United Kingdom had not heard of the word Chav. By the end of the year it was being used by just about everybody and even made it into prestigious dictionaries.
 
At Crombie Jardine Publishing we watched as sales of our little book grew and grew. In total we sold over 100,000 copies of The Little Book of Chavs and we reprinted it eight times.

We were also pleased by the response of readers who emailed us with Chav towns that we had omitted and in this updated edition we have tried to put that right. We are sure we have still missed out places, but those of you who took the trouble to email us will be pleased to see your towns added.

Readers who wondered where the word Chav came from also contacted us. Quite a few mentioned Cheltenham Ladies’ College as the source of the word. Wherever the word came from, we now know who and what Chavs are and, whether you love them or hate them, there’s just no ignoring them!
 
CHAV HISTORY
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Definitions of Chavs:
• non-educated delinquents
• the burgeoning peasant underclass
 
Chavs are identifiable by their attitude and clothes. Chavs want money and lots of it, but don’t want to have to work for it.
 
Jodie Marsh, Jordan (Katie Price) and Tulisa are obvious Chav icons. Reality shows like Big Brother and the Lottery are favourite TV programmes.
 
Chavs can be found far and wide, across the country, but go by different names depending on the location. In Scotland, on the West Coast, you’ll find Neds (some say this is short for ‘non-educated delinquents’, others say it’s short for Edward, as in teddy-boy). On the East Coast of Scotland they are known as Schemies (as in ‘housing scheme’).
 
Moving southwards to England, the range of names is staggering. In Liverpool they’re called Scallies (as in loud, boisterous, disruptive or irresponsible people). Kev is quite common around London (probably because of the Harry Enfield inspired, idiotic teenage character Kevin). Then you have Janners (from Plymouth), Smicks, Spides, Moakes and Steeks (all from Belfast), plus Bazzas, Pikeys (Essex), Charvers (Newcastle), Scuffheads, Stigs, Stangers, Yarcos, and Kappa Slappers (Kappa for girls who wear Kappa branded tracksuits, Slapper as in a promiscuous or crude female).

Although the general feeling is that the Chav name comes from the place of Chatham in Kent, it seems it has quite strong Gypsy connections. Chatham has had Gypsies living in it for generations. Interestingly, Chavi is the Romany word for child (and was recorded as far back as the 1850s), whereas Chavo means boy. By the late 1800s, Chavi was used to refer to an adult male. Another Gypsy connection is the word Charver (Romany for prostitute). Pikey – also insulting – is more likely to have come from the Kentish dialect term for Gypsy – a person who travels the roads.
 
CHAV SPOTTING
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Chav Female / Chavette
 
According to the Daily Mail , the females of the species pull their shoddily dyed hair back in that ultra-tight bun known as a ‘council-house facelift’ , wear skirts that would better be described as wide belts and tops that expose too much. It is true that stilettos are the favoured alternative footwear to trainers. Primark outfits are always, and most definitely, in.
 
Hair tends to be bottle-blonde and scraped back into a ponytail, with lots of mousse and/or hairspray, scrunchies, etc.
 
Chav Male / Chavo
 
He wears an England shirt at least three times a week (unless, of course, he’s a Ned!), spanking white trainers, trackie bottoms, and a hard, shifty expression.