Insult

Word 'chav' to be banned?

People should stop using the word chav, a left-wing think tank has recommended.

The widely-used term is, according to dictionaries, derogatory slang for a young person of low social status, often wearing designer sportswear.

The Fabian Society's Tom Hampson says the term betrays a deep level of "class hatred" and is "deeply offensive to a largely voiceless group".

But Simon Donald, the co-founder of Viz Magazine, said the word was meant to be an insult - and that was fine

Mr Hampson, who is Fabian Society editorial director, says in an article that the word is "sneering and patronising", and compared it to other controversial words such as "faggot" and "pikey".

"Some uses of some words fall below the threshold of acceptability and some are definitely above it.

"Chav is way above that threshold. It is deeply offensive to a largely voiceless group and - especially when used in normal middle-class conversation or on national TV - it betrays a deep and revealing level of class hatred."

And he said "it is distancing, turning the chav into the kind of feral beast that exists only in tabloid headlines".

It was an example of the middle classes using language to belittle the lower classes, he said.

"This is middle class hatred of the white working class, pure and simple."

But Simon Donald of Viz said it was the Fabian Society itself which was patronising.

"Amongst everyone who I can see who uses the term it's meant as a term to put others down and there's always going to be language in society that does that.

"And I think the Fabian Society's attempts to step in and become the voice of the working classes is frankly patronising."

The Oxford English Dictionary classes chav as derogatory British slang.

It is defined as "a young person of a type characterised by brash and loutish behaviour and the wearing of designer-style clothes (esp. sportswear); usually with connotations of a low social status".

What do you reckon? Chav: foul or fair? People should stop using the word chav, a left-wing think tank has recommended. ... more

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