To think 'chav' is not an okay thing to call people?

[enternow99]

I find the use of chav on Mumsnet shocking. Is this name chavvy? Is this holiday destination chavvy? Is this outfit chavvy? Chavs moved in next door (I'm a leaseholder, they rent!!!!)

I understand its snobbiness but isn't it a bit horrible?

I completely agree.

This is a very bitchy term used by a small minority of people who think they are better than others, purely because of their class/finances.

I’m glad the word is used though because I know that the people who use it are snobs and not nice people.

@Screamingabdabz people don't know what it means though - going by this thread.

I agree that the term is a kind of shorthand and infers more than being poor. But it’s absolutely not true that only middle class people realise the term is offensive.

I don't think it's used to reference the Working Class but the term "Underclass" that Charles Murray writes of as in those who don't want to work and see little interest in employment and so low down on the class spectrum, so lower than WC.
In a nutshell "chav" = underclass

Maybe instead of explaining why those who use the word chav do so, or what it means to them, they could simply stop using it.
You would not use the word 'child' from any other language to denegrate, so why pick the Romany word for child?

Some of our worst holiday behaviour was a group of extremely posh teens in Kenya. Hideous. They cleared the pool area of all normal guests.

Exactly screaming. Most people of all types behave decently but if you don’t and you disturb others well yes they will judge you. If you’ve had people like this as neighbours you will understand. All your gentleness will drain away after experiencing being kept awake by gangsta rap and the screaming fights in the street.

Scrote is a much better term

TheaBrandt

Yes, they are an absolute pain in the arse, but they are not Chavs.
Entitled little shits maybe, but not Chavs.

Agree with you @enternow99 - thanks for starting this thread. It’s a horrible word, and this thread has shown that it isn’t a shorthand for anything in particular. @5128gap nailed it above

That’s because they are ignorantly looking down from a lofty position. Those of us who live around them know exactly what the term means. And why they’re castigated as such.

That's your experience and there's my experience. I have chavvy friends and a bit chavvy myself- who cares the word has been used since we were at school, it's hardly offensive.

Love the middle classes in here tying themselves in knots trying to define and defend people they build a whole life trying to avoid! 😂

I get called a chav all the time mainly by my other half.

I did hear a colleague say another colleague was chavvy the other day and mused over it for a while, wondering if it was acceptable in the workplace.

Lol I am not from a lofty position! I know exactly how it is used.

I love the word scrotes lol it's hard to describe what a scrote is but we all know exactly what one looks like lol

You don’t have to be middle class to understand that it is an offensive term.

Do you think only middle class people are capable of empathy or something?

Persian couscous, I can assure you, you are not a chavvy.
You cannot identify as a Chavvy.
For those of use who know the origin, it is offensive when used to denegrate or as a put down.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chavs:_The_Demonization_of_the_Working_Class

ingerdancedbackwards · Today 16:15

I already own that book and like I said upthread I don't consider 'chav' to be an interchangeable term with 'working class'.

ABirdsEyeView · Today 16:09
It isn't interchangeable.
2 very different classes

Chav is a representation of the working class, utilised.

Offensive people deserve offensive terms. If a person doesn't behave respectfully in society, they don't deserve for society to respect them. Not that your average chav would care what any of us think anyway!

It's not a representation of the working class. It's a term used to describe the criminal wasters within our society.

I'm not MC, in fact I suspect most of MN would describe me as a 'chav' due to where I live and my daughters name. I still wouldn't call anyone a 'chav' though.

I'm working class and don't agree with you at all. Why are you assuming everyone who doesn't like the word is middle class?

I prefer the term "plebs"

I am old enough and northern enough to have used the word charva and at one point probably was one. My friends often call themselves chavs. I rarely use it now as it’s not relevant where I live. I’m not offended by it.

Load of rubbish. My dad was a drug addict thief and would probably be called one by many of you. I live in a council flat and have done for 16 years.