in thinking that the word 'chav' is an overused and lazy term to describe anything we feel is vulgar ?

[MaryAnnSingleton]

it annoys me that it's applied so often on mumsnet

true. and young neds up here refer to themselves as the same, to differentiate themselves from other youth gangs like emos etc. but that's not really what the OP was referring to, i think.

Oh dear, I fear I may be making people wince - frequently seen wearing Boden but fear that I do use the words "toilet" and "pardon" on the occasions - what are the wince-free alternatives?

Fiofio - brilliant observation about the working class not working.

Violent Femme - CCCCCCan't you see the answer?

Thia is where the argument stops. Scores back here in a minute please

33%. B**LOCKS. And my Chav name is Jade Colleen.

"life is easier if you've got money"

Riiiight, so that makes it OK to be "offensive" about someone. Because they've got money and should therefore shut up and take it and be grateful for what they've got. Nice.

13% very funny. Go on do it I dare you.

a little bit, yes, soupy, although i hardly think that boden is offensive.

i hate this attitude that because someone is wealthy they are fair game. it's like when a black comedien can make any amount of jokes about the stereotypical "nerdy white guy" but woe betide any white comic who makes a joke playing on prevelant black stereotypes.

i've put up with a lot of reverse snobberry in my life, and while it doesn't bother me in itself as i don't see any real harm in it, what gets me is the reaction of people if you say something back about them based on stereotypes about their class/where they live.

MrsWolf - I live in Cheltenham and all the locals says that Chav comes from Cheltenham Average. They take a pride in it!

I think though that it comes from gypsy slang, that is used a lot around here - e.g. Cushty Chav (good bloke), ratly (girl) - there's loads more (typical that I can't remember them).

Chav is the new common.

If they don't want to be Chavs they shouldn't all fecking wear the same kind of clothes. The chavs themselves have invented their own name and dress and live up to it. Like previously posted,other names we call people for the way they dress are Goths, emos, mods, rockers, wankers hoodies, in my days we had mo-jos etc.

Also around here some people (proudly) refer to themselves as chavs and don't see it as an insult. Unless applied to them by emos, goths or grebos (all this knowledge is from conversations with my 12 year old dd, the social complexities of senior school like certainly have got more complex since my day!)

I meant senior school life, not like!

Boden this Boden that, where I live the word Boden is never mentioned, I have never purchased anything from Boden, what is the big deal FFS.

Message withdrawn

i still favour the term 'ned'. it suits alot of folk i've seen anyway. it's just a label to put on someone isn't it? we all do it, just some of us are more open about it than others.

put that halo on now fiofio

Message withdrawn

howsabout calling them 'white trash' instead...

"THEMAGNIFICENT7, the working classesdo work or are all you wannbe middle classes too lazy to look at the socio economic table "

Fiofio - was the 'all you wannbe (sic) middle classes' comment aimed as some sort of insult ? I was being polite and remarking on a comment of yours i liked. I think the kebab your having tonight would be so much better with those chips on your plate, not your shoulder. I know chav scum that aren't that rude. funny but shit icon here to make it seem like i'm f**king joking

can anyone tell me why it isn't acceptable to say 'toilet'

Thats what it is isn't it?

Do you get executed by the Queen herself if you say you've used a napkin in the toilet ?