Chavs

[flip_flop]

Do chavs know they are chavs?

[mallam]

OK flip, let's return to our muttons, Teds knew they were Teds, and neds, like them, are Edwards, prob from the orig Edwardian gear, like Teds. But chav gear is a bit more diverse.

You prob know the acronym supposed to be the origin of this: Council House And Violent. As I said in my last post, such alleged etymologies for ned and chav are urban myths, but I suppose by association they have become relevant. I cant really see the relevance of CHAV tho.I dont think its even appropriate - the ethos seems too flash for that.

But a Society and Culture question this undoubtedly is, and I think we should go into the sociolinguistics of the phenomenon and the term for it. I must say I was sure almost as soon as I knew the word itself that it was almost certainly Romani, and therefore related to 'shaver' for 'boy' (remember that?), and charver/charva (prostitute).

The alleged acronym is in fact a backronym, retrofitted as so often by people with an axe to grind. The OED says "Probably either < Romani čhavo unmarried Romani male, male Romani child (see CHAVVY n.), or shortened < either CHAVVY n. or its etymon Angloromani chavvy."

Wiki: Forms: 19- charva, 19- charver, 19- chava. [< Angloromani chava man, child, boy < Romani čhavo (see CHAVVY n.).]
probably of Romani origin. Compare Romani chavi ("'male child'"), chavo ("'female child'"), chal ("'boy'"), chavvy ("'mate, friend'");
possible cognate with Spanish chaval. See also charva.

I dont think that many chavs would associate themselves with much of that. Not that they would be aware of it, but many

[mallam]

many of those connotations still attach to it.

[mallam]

Attempt at degarbling:

I dont think that many chavs would associate themselves with much of that. Not that they would be aware of it, many of those connotations still attach to the term chav.

[tamborine]

test yourself here

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Society-and-Culture/Question817779.html