New to the cafe

[Departed Member]

"Chav" is actually an age-old word from the Romany language. All it means (in Romany) is "man", "bloke", or similar, often familiarised as "Chavvy". Other Romany words (which have been long heard in my area which has/had a large gypsy population) include: "minging" = smelling, "Minger" = someone who smells (B.O.!), "Juckler", or "Juckla" = dog or hound & "Musker" = policeman. Some of these terms are now starting to spread into 'everyday' useage. Round here, a comment of, "Hey, Chav (or Chavvy)!", is (still) a perfectly friendly greeting amongst local youngsters.

[boca]

Snorky - From your definition it sounds similar to the "Gangsta" underground sub-culture here in the US.

[skirttron]

Chavs are definitely to be avoided when skirted, if they occur in groups of two or more. Luckily, the first sign is easy to see: the baseball cap. Then there is the cheap plastic tracksuit. "Chav" is indeed a recent term here in the UK, at least in general usage. I think if anything chavs are lower-rent than gangstas. These guys would find it hard to spell their own name, let alone understand clothing that's a bit different. On one of the rare occasions a young guy decided to call out some abuse to show off to a nearby girl (it didn't work), I turned to him and said "Chav" and that shut him up, because actually he was above chav level and embarrassed to be called one.

[Stevie D]

Thanks to all for the explanations of 'chavs'. I like words, but this terminology has passed me by, somehow. Clearly I need to get out more.

Merlin - do you know the word 'gadgie' or 'gadgie-man'? I think it is also a Romany word meaning much the same as your definition of 'chav'.

[Departed Member]

Thanks to all for the explanations of 'chavs'. I like words, but this terminology has passed me by, somehow. Clearly I need to get out more.

Merlin - do you know the word 'gadgie' or 'gadgie-man'? I think it is also a Romany word meaning much the same as your definition of 'chav'.

Hi Steve!

More extracts from the (un-written) Romany Dictionary! I haven't a clue about the exact spellings, but here goes. "Cadge", meaning to permanently 'borrow' (or scrounge!), is a word long assimilated into general useage, so a "Cadgie" is a scrouger (beggar, if you will).

Two other words used to describe 'men' are "Mush" (or "Musht-a") and "Gear-a" (which is possibly the word you've heard?). The exact original meaning for each for each is unclear although "Chav" refers generally to those of adolescent age. The baseball cap/hoody image of some present day 15 to 25 year-olds 'fits in' with this.

The Romany equivalent to "Chav" for a female of the same age is a "Beuer" (or "Bew-er"), by the way!

[Stevie D]

Merlin,

Thanks for this. I hadn't made the connection between 'gadgie' and 'cadgie', but almost certainly they're one and the same. 'Mush' I remember from my childhood days in the south of England and I think it was in common use in BBC wireless comedy shows such as 'Hancock's Half Hour', where he would often address other men, especially in irritation with, "Oi! Mush! ....."
Cheers
Steve

[RichardN]

Cadge doesn't always have bad connotations, as in scrouger/beggar. The context I hear the word among young people is 'cadging a lift' -- asking for a lift.

Richard

[Departed Member]

The usual one heard round here was, "Canna cadge a fag, mush?" (to an elder person, usu. a stranger, substitute "chav" for a contempory).

[crfriend]

"Canna cadge a fag, mush?"

Wow! Talk about being divided by a common language....

[Since1982]

Canna cadge a fag, mush.

I understand that perfectly. "Can I borrow a cigarette, man?" When you've been either a drunk or a drug addict that kind of slurred speech is perfectly understandable. I was a violent, fall down, sleep 30 hours straight, wake up with a horrendous slamming pounding headache DRUNK until I had a terrible experience at age 27 to break me of drinking anything at all alcoholic. I have it so deeply ingrained in my head now that anything alcoholic tastes like freshly expended poopoo and is immediately spat out.

Like if speaking of others he sees, "heyyy mush looka dat womush...shess purrty. Gimme da boddle/baggie o' Ripple/smack pleeese.