to think all this talk of "chavs" and

[anonymosity]

"council estates" comes from a small number of narrow-minded, petty, class-conscious aspirants and smug people and is merely a reflection of Mumsnetters and not a true reflection of UK society? Or is it completely wide-spread amongst the UK ?

I don't use chav as a name, but always thought it was a type not a class?

Not sure about your definition of chav there brightlightsandpromises. A 'teen fashion group'?

And I was saying that living on a council estate was not one of the requirements for being a chav.

I would have linked to the chavscum website to pull up some better definitions, but it seems to have gone! Perhaps that is why people are misusing the term so much nowadays.

I know that ccp - i was just having a pop at the royals (any opportunity )

I have seen that site, and yeah, you are right - its more than just a teen fashion group it is a whole movement. Chavscum.com was brilliant, although i think it was developed by a bored university student!

Sorry, it seems like i was then picking on your whole post, i wasn't just the royal family bit, i know what you meant about council estate. I dont mind, i grew up on one and im clearly not a chav! obviously

I too grew up on a council estate - and I am not a chav. The multi-millionairess Katie Price on the other hand.....

I don't think it has anything to do with class, my step children use the word 'chav' but i think its more to do with how people dress and act, not where they live or if they work or not.

I live in a council house on a road with 9 other council houses, most of the people here work are house proud and are not chavy (although there are a few teenagers who may look a bit chav and the lad next door likes to play westlife full blast from his car).

I am being trolled by chavs on here!

Did it not originally stand for 'Council Housed And Violent' but the meaning has evolved somewhat and it's used quite over liberally really.

I grew up in a council house but am not a violent person so therefore must be half chav by that definition. :)

merely a reflection of Mumsnetters and not a true reflection of UK society

Are you trying to say that most mumsnetters live in a bubble? :)

I think there is truth in that. Just look at how few of them read the Daily Mail.

to me:

Chav =
Faux gangster talk
Bouncy walk - Guys trying to look bigger than thy are by bouncing
Exaggerated behaviour, eg spitting obviously, snorting before spitting obviously, shouting at each other in faux deep voices, throwing litter down HARD swearing instead of pausing ('well, er I think he's thick', becomes fuck, well, fucking, like, well, I fuckin;.. er think that like, fucking, he's a bit fuckin' like thick ain'it)
Crap Argos jewellery (thinking it looks like JZ's)
Loud shit dance music on mobile phone
Baseball Cap
Sports wear but either a) wearer too skinny to be sporty (Junkie Chav) or b) wearer to fat to be sporty (Fat Chav) - often female

Crisps and coke in the street whilst spitting and smoking
a bit itchy from not washing properly

I see. A bit like Alastair Campbell?

@claig

I live in the middle of a council estate! and I call people chavs, in fact I am surrounded by them

that's not a nice way to talk about your family

you should see my one year old in her little fake uggs, totally chavtastic

According to Heroine's definition, my 5 yr old DS is a chav - bounces around, spits a lot especially when he has a wobbly tooth, , likes my jewellery, loves loud music , wears baseball cap sometimes (always back to front), would not object to wearing sportswear (PE is his favourite subject) and definitely does the faux shouting when bored during the holidays.

I think there's a lot to be said for Heroine's description, but personally to me it means people who display DVDs in a bookcase .... !

Oh- in that case, my DH is a mega-chav (has several rows of them in bookcase in living room).

I don't think it's a class thing- I've heard chavs refer to themselves as that and proud of it too.

It's definitely not linked to council estates either. Plenty of WAGs and "celebrities" are chavs.

My Dh made some floating shelves for his DVD collection. Is he a chav too?

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