‘Chavs’ Are Sexing Up English Language

‘Chavs’ Are Sexing Up English Language

LONDON – Last year it was ‘sexing up’, in 1993 Britons were ‘having it large’ and in 1980 it was all about ‘power dressing’.

Now ‘Chavs’ is set to be the next buzzword, according to a new book, which says it is Britain’s defining word or phrase of 2004. ‘Chav’ is to this year what ‘axis of evil’ was to 2002, ‘gangsta’ to 1988 and ‘beatnik to 1958, according to author Susie Dent, whose ‘The Language Report’ gives what she defines as the key terms for every year dating back to 1904.’Chav’ – a long-established but little used insult thought to have come from a mid-19th century Romany word ‘Chavi’, meaning child – has caught on recently as a label for Britain’s underclass of violence-prone, culture-devoid youth.Its use has been condemned as hugely snobbish but Dent said this was not really the point.”I think it’s a really horrible word but it’s quite a good example of a word that has burst out on to the scene,” she told the media.”It is quite surprising in a way.It is one of quite a few social class labels that have emerged.”In 1920 the post-war buzzword was ‘demob’; in 1958 it was ‘beatnik’ while ‘miniskirt’ was the hot word of 1965, according to Dent’s book.Dent has also identified some inventive new business phrases such as “dropping your pants,” which refers to lowering the price of a product in order to close a sale, while “prawn sandwich man” is a corporate freeloader.The book also tips a series of words likely to become popular in the coming year, such as “retrosexual”, a scruffy backlash against the well-groomed “metrosexual” man.- Nampa-AFP-Reuters The book names the buzzwords of the past 20 years as being: * 1984 double-click * 1985 OK yah * 1986 mobile * 1987 virtual reality * 1988 gangsta * 1989 latte * 1990 applet * 1991 hot-desking * 1992 URL * 1993 having it large * 1994 Botox * 1995 kitten heels * 1996 ghetto fabulous * 1997 dot-commer * 1998 text message * 1999 google * 2000 bling bling * 2001 9/11 * 2002 axis of evil * 2003 sex up * 2004 chav’Chav’ is to this year what ‘axis of evil’ was to 2002, ‘gangsta’ to 1988 and ‘beatnik to 1958, according to author Susie Dent, whose ‘The Language Report’ gives what she defines as the key terms for every year dating back to 1904.’Chav’ – a long-established but little used insult thought to have come from a mid-19th century Romany word ‘Chavi’, meaning child – has caught on recently as a label for Britain’s underclass of violence-prone, culture-devoid youth.Its use has been condemned as hugely snobbish but Dent said this was not really the point.”I think it’s a really horrible word but it’s quite a good example of a word that has burst out on to the scene,” she told the media.”It is quite surprising in a way.It is one of quite a few social class labels that have emerged.”In 1920 the post-war buzzword was ‘demob’; in 1958 it was ‘beatnik’ while ‘miniskirt’ was the hot word of 1965, according to Dent’s book.Dent has also identified some inventive new business phrases such as “dropping your pants,” which refers to lowering the price of a product in order to close a sale, while “prawn sandwich man” is a corporate freeloader.The book also tips a series of words likely to become popular in the coming year, such as “retrosexual”, a scruffy backlash against the well-groomed “metrosexual” man.- Nampa-AFP-Reuters The book names the buzzwords of the past 20 years as being: * 1984 double-click * 1985 OK yah * 1986 mobile * 1987 virtual reality * 1988 gangsta * 1989 latte * 1990 applet * 1991 hot-desking * 1992 URL * 1993 having it large * 1994 Botox * 1995 kitten heels * 1996 ghetto fabulous * 1997 dot-commer * 1998 text message * 1999 google * 2000 bling bling * 2001 9/11 * 2002 axis of evil * 2003 sex up * 2004 chav

Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!

Latest News