What in the world is...?

Question

A chav? I might be showing my age here, or perhaps it is a regional thing, but I have never heard of a chav.
Could someone use is in a sentence that doesn't involve slang, or is it one of those trendy teen words?

Answer 1

"Derived from Chatham in Kent, this term can be applied loosely to every culture with a nasty, thieving element. There are many variants of this creature but all are subject to the following commonalities:

Chavs are completely Amoral, having never been subjected to right and wrong by their inattentive, uncaring and often absent parents.

Chavs are part Magpie, evidentially supported by their love of all things shiny, or as vaccuous, illiterate street-slang would say 'Bling'. They can be seen twokking from the Jewelry counter in Argos/Index.

Whatever their ethnic background, Chavs have a built-in affinity to hip-hop/R&B, even if they are inherently racist (see the Scottish). They see their life as glamorous and cool.

Chavs are for the most part, extremely stupid. However, some of them render a form of low cunning, which can be misinterpreted as intelligence. However this is false. A Chav has no desire to better themself through honest means nor learn anything outside of car modification.

All chavs think that they are nails. Again, this is false. Sitting in a beaten up nova smoking lamberts does not precipitate a healthy body. The irony being that a Chav owns mainly sportswear, yet will only break a sweat if running from the police.

Chavs are incredibly fertile beasts, and are highly successful breeders. Where they come unstuck is having to look after the offspring which their 13 yr old drunken fumble produces. More often that not the child will crow to be a Chav, having received no more guidance on life than the parent.

Chavs have a fond love for cars, as well as a Vin Diesel fixation. Rather than buy a nice car to start with, a chav will spend all their dole and tax-free labouring cash on upgrading a 10 year old car with 200,000 miles on the clock. The end product will invariably be a luminous monstrosity with at least one serious collision to it's name."

Answer 2

Chav (pronunciation: [tʃæv]) (also Chavette (female chav), Charv or Charva) is a slang term in wide use throughout the United Kingdom since 2004. It refers to a subcultural stereotype of people with fashions such as flashy "bling" jewellery, Burberry clothing items and designer clothing eg. Adidas, Nike, Timberland; possibly an uneducated and uncultured background; a tendency to congregate around places such as fast-food outlets, bus stops, car parks or other shopping areas; and a culture of antisocial behaviour and violence. Many regard chavs to have a musical taste mainly including garage, RnB, and hip hop. Response to the term has ranged from amusement to criticism that it is a new manifestation of classism.

Answer 3

Before I went on a hot date I made sure I had a chav. Without a chav I risked rejection... and I didn't want THAT now did I!

Answer 4

I'm on the same page with you on this one.