to find it strange how some MN's are SO offended by the word Chav

[falolenhard]

Chav:
meaning a lower-class person who displays brash and loutish behavior and wears real or imitation designer

Snob:
A person with an exaggerated respect for high social position or wealth who seeks to associate with social superiors

Both these terms are derogatory.
So why is it ok to call someone a snob (I bet nobody would say a word and it wouldn't get pulled)- but not a chav on here?

To be offended by one and not the other is a form of Inverted Snobbery?

ds calls my mum Nanna

Snob tends to be ised to describe people with a certain amount of Privilege and status in society. Of course you get working class/economically disadvantaged snobs but it's not the usual association. Whereas chav is used to describe people who tend to be socially, financially and culturally disadvantaged so the words don't come from the same position of power.

Also, being a snob is a choice, an attitude, a set of beliefs. Being a 'chav' is usually something people don't choose, ie where they grew up, their accent, their education, their cultural context which they can't control.

People who think that chav is just a harmless word to describe people who wear hoodies and fake designer are kidding themselves. It's a poisonous word used to denigrate and write off a whole section of society as useless, thick, unattractive, uncultured and undesirable. Again, usually because they have grown up in a disadvantaged strata of society.

EatShitDerek has it spot on. Chav is used on Mumsnet to describe someone or a behaviour you look down on, someone you feel socially superior to and it's usually just ridiculous shite. Using the word Nana for example or headbands on babies, earrings on under 16s, Primark, AI holidays and don't even start to look for the reasoning behind on baby names.

I find it a pejorative, nasty little word.

It's to do with power and privilege isn't it?

It's "less bad" to insult the powerful and privileged than bit is to put down those already struggling at the bottom of the heap.
I for one am more likely to stick up for the oppressed than the oppressor.

We say Nana! Who knew? I am very much a MC gel too. I feel a bit cutting edge now.

I agree op. Double standards are rife on Mn.

Time and again people say they find the word cunt offensive and they are roundly bullied and ridiculed and belittled when they do. I don't find it offensive, very few words offend me (except bitch, hate that). However, as I said, double standards are rife and people will scream that such and such word is offensive to them whereas so and so word is perfectly fine to them. Its just stupid, a huge public forum cannot please all of the people all of the time.

YANBU - the P.O brigade at their worst.

Nothing wrong with the word chav - I've got a few Chavvy mates & they're lovely. ( despite the tattoos )

Chav & snob are different.

I often hear people saying I am a bit of a snob about this or that.

Not so much the other way around.

It's not a word that offends me for the sake if it, it depend now it's used.

& everything Mintyy said.

I don't get what is offensive about it, either. Only on MN.

Just want to make it clear that chav is not a word I would ever use! I don't like it, but I vehemently DO NOT agree with whoever said earlier that people use it as a lazy way to write off anyone who is less well off than them. How utterly ridiculous.

Who remembers dear BOF's thread about offensive words on MN? She made a valiant attempt to get this sorted once and for all, such a lovely Mnetter she is.

Mintyy I don't think you can be so sure of people's motives when on previous threads people can't agree what it means.

One poster might say it means dressing a bit garishly and bad taste, whilst I've seen council housed and violent, which isn't so harmless.

That's what's the problem with it on here.

Don't remember that one, how did if end?

At DS' school there are a group of kids who identify themselves as "chavs" same as a group who call themselves "geeks" and others "emos", it's more to do with the clothes they wear / things they enjoy doing etc

They are all from rural, middle class villages in Northamptonshire, it's definitely not an insult

I know plenty of relatively well off, educated people who are Chavs. "Class" (i.e under privilege) doesn't really come into it.

These are some Chav characteristics in my opinion

Must Have the latest brand in fashion trainers no matter if they need a new pair or not. Cost no problem.

A penchant for bling and false eyelashes of the ultra heavy kind.

Many tattoos.

Regular user of sunbeds / fake tan. Tendency to be Tango coloured.

Must have a Staffie with exra heavy duty harness and lead, preferably
with large metal studs everywhere - if Chav male. Chav females must have toy dog that fits in handbag.

Often a WAG or wannabe WAG.

A thought - perhaps the word Chav has evolved different definitions in diverse parts of the UK?

How about not not calling someone a name that can be seen as an insult because they look or dress a certain way

but then where is the fun in not informing others that you are a better class of person

How can so many people get so upset by the word Chav when no one can actually seem to agree on what it means.

As far as I'm aware terms like Council Housed and Violent and Cheltenham Average were 'retrofitted' to the term and had nothing to do with it.

People here seem to feel it on a par with the n-word or p*ki. However, unlike those terms there is no clear definition about who it refers to, where it came from or what it actually means.

Then what does it always come up on certain threads we all know what it means and how it is used

Mollyhooper - What is street cred BMW? In your opinion.

Do you mean what does the phrase mean, or what gives it nowadays?

Then again I have seen it argued that it is not fair only black people can use the n word and pa*i is just short for Pakistani the same as scot is short for being Scottish