Chav

Not to be confused with Chad (slang).

"Chav" (/tʃæv/), also "charver", "scally" and "roadman" in parts of England, is a British term, usually used in a pejorative way. The term is used to describe an anti-social lower-class youth dressed in sportswear.[1] The use of the word has been described as a form of "social racism".[2] "Chavette" is a related term referring to female chavs, and the adjectives "chavvy", "chavvish", and "chavtastic" are used to describe things associated with chavs, such as fashion, slang, etc.[3] In other countries like Ireland, "skanger" is used in a similar manner.[4] In Ontario (particularly in Toronto), the term is "hoodman", an equivalent of the term "roadman" used in England.[5] In Newfoundland, "skeet" is used in a similar way,[6] while in Australia, "eshay" or "adlay" is used.[7]

  1. ^
    • "Definition of chav in Oxford Dictionaries (British & World English)". Archived from the original on 2 September 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
    • "Stop using chav: it's deeply offensive". Fabian Society. Archived from the original on 12 January 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
    • Crystal, David. "Chav". Keep Your English Up To date. BBC World Service. Archived from the original on 28 February 2015. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
    • Heath, Olivia (19 June 2011). "Neets, asbos and chavs: labels of age discrimination". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 4 November 2013. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  2. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20081015162621/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7-1488120,00.html
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference BBC News was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Coleman, Julie (2012). The Life of Slang. Oxford University Press. p. 276. ISBN 9780191630729.
  5. ^ Wilkinson, Raven-Paige. "Cultural Exchange and the Transformation of Jamaican Patois in the Greater Toronto Area" (PDF). Curve Carleton.
  6. ^ Hiscock, Philip (12 September 2016). "Why don't skeets know they're skeets?". CBC News.
  7. ^ Willing, Julia (25 June 2021). "Australians Are Explaining What An "Eshay" Is To The Rest Of The World And I'm Cackling". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 4 February 2022.