Can't seem to find the answer to this online and curious about the origin of words such as this
2007-03-21 00:16:58 · 8 answers · asked by SarahH 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
Divvy is the Romany (Gypsy) word for mad or crazy.
Likewise, chavvy (or chavvay) is Romany for man, which is where we get chap and chav from.
2007-03-21 00:24:27 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
The origin is the word divide. To divvy up is to divide something up. Don't feel foolish or impaired -- that's a perfectly reasonable question.
2007-03-21 07:21:18 · answer #2 · answered by waia2000 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Divvy...a person who is a bit of a waster, or is unemployed. Comes from the dole, which is DIVided to the unemployed. A shorter version of this is the word Divv, which also means the same thing.
2007-03-21 07:21:35 · answer #3 · answered by bumblecherry 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Found this on urbandictionary.com don't know how true it is but it seems to make sense.
Divvy...a person who is a bit of a waster, or is unemployed. Comes from the dole, which is DIVided to the unemployed. A shorter version of this is the word Divv, which also means the same thing.
2007-03-21 08:38:10 · answer #4 · answered by magshatch 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Don't know either but I think it must have come from the Liverpool area because I first heard it 1980 I knew a few people from there and they used it all the time.
Peace
2007-03-22 14:21:38 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it's in reference to "to divvy up" 'to divide something'. But I don't know the origin. Sorry.
2007-03-21 07:30:39 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I'm not sure but I would guess it was just a different form of spivvy, which came from spastic as a different form of the word chavvy.
Somebody probably got the words confused down the line and a new word was born.
Its certainly not a romany word on its own as many people suggest.
2007-03-21 07:24:39 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
It's part of the romany tongue or language mate !!
2007-03-21 07:19:23 · answer #8 · answered by nicemanvery 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋