Chavs, Pikeys, and Other Words

[liadnan]

Looking for the source of the word "chav" brought me (as some of you are aware) to this site. Hours of time-wasting fun to be had.

This, for example.

For the benefit of those not subscribed to the Other Place, Chav is, as I thought, believed to be a Romany word meaning child.. The same article ascribes "pikey" to "turnpike [traveller]" which rather puts a spike in the wheels of the argument that unlike abuse against mere "travellers" (not an ethnic group) it could give rise to legal action on race relations grounds. The idea was that it was thought to refer to Irish tinkers specifically (see a row around this time last year about a particularly appalling Sussex bonfire where a caravan containing effigies and with the numberplate P1KEY was ceremonially burnt - lovely quaint traditions).

Comments

[bengraham.livejournal.com]

Go to www.argos.co.uk and search for 'chav'

[babysimon]

This, for example.

Fuck's sake. It's English, not Lojban.

[booklectica]

Hadn't heard of that one. My grandfather spoke Esparanto. (Apparently - never actually heard him do so.)

[liadnan]

I also have problems envisaging someone called Kevin Keegan being a grammar whore...

Oh?

[nicnac.livejournal.com]

I always understood it to mean CHArmless Vagrant.

Re: Oh?

[susumu.livejournal.com]

Council House And Violent

[clanwilliam.livejournal.com]

I always assumed Pikey came from Turnpike as well. As an honorary pikey, it's a word I was first introduced to by people of travelling (usually Gypsy) descent - as in one friend saying "well, my dad's a proper pikey, full Romany and all, but he's settled now, and I'm half-pikey". She didn't say it in a joking way either - to her, pikey was an entirely correct way of describing her father.

It's also why I'm very proud to be an honorary pikey - in that sense of the word, I definitely qualify. It's also why Peggy's called the Pikey Nag, because that's *exactly* what she is - a tinker's 'oss, a gypsy cob, call her what you like, the term pikey nag is the most correct one of the lot.

[sbp.livejournal.com]

Lewes was it?

Didn't realise you were subscribed to the other place. I should pay more attention.

[liadnan]

Different other place, I suspect. No, not actually Lewes itself, they have similar, but smaller, things in the villages around and this was one of them.

[liadnan]

Firle. See here and here.

[helixaspersa.livejournal.com]

I have just noticed - probably very belatedly indeed - that I am on your friends list but you are not on mine. So I've added you back. Hello.

[liadnan]

Perils of having Antonia Forest as an interest...