to eradicate the words 'chavvy' and 'common' from the MN lexicon

[OrmRenewed]

They are lazy words. They mean 'anything that I don't like and am not'. If you dislike something enough to issue a sweeping and insulting comment about it, have the decency to give accurate and precise reasons for it.

Twat for me could apply to lots of other sorts. I strew the word twat far and wide. Also it doens't necessarily mean the person is nasty, just, well, a bit of a twat

Only one meaning for rough. For extra-bad behaviour, you can describe tham as "rough as...." and leave the end of the sentence.

Interesting innit.

Lol at Kaloki!

i have never once seen a couple pissed and arguing in front of their children in a beer 'yard' without a single item of conspicuously branded sportswear between them. There's always some white jogging bottoms, or a baseball cap (yes they ARE sportswear). At the very least the lady will be wearing something that proclaims her to be a "Golddigga" - as if whoring yourself for diamonds is something to aspire to.

Just saying.

Really?

I know otherwise "nice" middle class people who do this. To be fair, they are alcoholics.

Acoholism isn't something that takes note of dress sense IME.

But it's a red herring to say that you get anti-social useless dysfunctional people from all walks of life and all classes. Of course you do. But it doesn't represent the norm, does it?

If you ask the local police which residential area they most commonly end up visiting on a Friday night, it won't be the leafy tree lined road full of Saabs and clipped box hedging, now will it?

The reason 'council estates' and the 'working classes' so often get dragged into these conversations is not because everyone who fits that demographic is automatically a low-life, (far from it)but because people who are anti-social, useless and dysfunctional tend to hail from them, and usually get to stay in them for life. Not always, admittedly, but often enough for a clear stereotype to form.

It's a sad shame for otherwise socially responsible, functional people who have to share their environment, but there we are.

Not saying it out loud won't make it go away I'm afraid.

Is Bianca from Eastenders a chav?

I don't know - I reckon WATCHING it is chavvy though

;)

But when I talk about someone beign a chav I'm not talking about people who are anti-social and useless. I'm just talking about people who dress in a certain way.

Most of the chavs i know are very respectable.

That's my point though - it has come to mean purely a style of dress for some people, but it didn't start out that way.

Orm, I am so with your OP.

I moaned about the use of 'chavvy' on the babynames website a few weeks ago (the word INFESTS that board), and was castigated and accused of being a snob and looking down on everyone myself Sadly, though, I think too many people enjoy using it as it bolsters their own pitiful sense of self. So I fear it's here to stay.

Tiggy R - I think when we (where I grew up) used chav years ago, we were not casting observations on the possible socio-economic background of anyone, it really was just a term to describe a certain type of dress and attitude.

agree with op

TheCoalitionNeedsYou I would agree with you but I don't really know what the word means.

Seems to me that anyone who uses the word "chavvy" is one.

Seriously want to know. If a person constantly uses the word "chavvy", chances are that their whole conversation is littered with slang.

Whatever happened to the "Queen's English".

Had to watch Eastenders for a month as a result of loosing a bet.

A work colleague (Originally from Wales) made me do it.

Sit there with open mouth most of the time.
Am curious as to where they dredge these mostly ugly people up from.

Please tell me that they are not typical of the average eastender.

Yes but that 'attitude' tends to go hand in hand with a specific s/e group, does it not? Again, see my point about which areas the police most often visit.

TBH I suspect Eastenders reflects where it is filmed (Borehamwood) more than where it is set.

Actually, what am i talking about it's all nonsense.

But I haven't seen it in years so it might be totally different now.

What I am trying to say is that Borehamwood is a terrible, terrible place.

no it isn't

Tiggy R - I do take your point. I just wanted to say that the word didn't to my mind originally start out as anything other than an observation on dress/attitude.

I always remember the Big Breakfast did a piece on Chatham girls/chavs, and they were filming a couple of streets away from where we were living at the time. Hmm time to move...

;)

Honestly, I have never felt more of a sense of threat than walking down the high street on a friday night.

This was ten years ago mind.

But I do agree, since the word was picked up by the media about ten years ago, it has come to mean (mostly) a personal style/taste in clothes - but one which is almost exclusively embraced by people who are WC or 'vulgar' New Money. When a baby name is described as Chav it usually just indicates that it has become over-popular with people you don't aspire to be like!

Though to be fair, very very high-falutin' poncey names used by the upper middle class types come in for a good bashing too, as do the hippy-dippy, away with the fairies, lentil-weaving names -and nobody leaps to their defence!!

Don't know where that is but it looks seriously depressing.

We have a trampoline and we do not live on a council estate thank you very much, House is worth about £400k also I do not think because I deem something / someone to be common or chavy I am insecure, I find it quite insulting that it is implyed that one uses these words to feel better about their own short comings

Common exists so do chavs thats a fact, saying so is not the bee all and end all.

Please excuse extra E typing and stuffing face with toast at same time

I used to live in Kent and I'm well aware that the Medway towns area is where the phrase first got picked up. I moved to Essex around the same time, and had to put up with all sorts of crap about 'common slaggy' Essex girls, from people who didn't realise they were exactly the type I was trying to move away from.

It's a source of endless regret to me that the term Chav was coined, and not just plain 'Kent Girl'!!!

Likewise I'd dearly love the phrase Croydon Facelift to be called the Surrey Facelift, with the same pejorative meaning!

After all if an entire lovely county can be slurred because of the reputation of two or three towns, and Jodie Marsh, why should Kent and Surrey get away with it?

AngelsOnHigh - where looks depressing? Have I missed a link?