The differences don't stop there. Here where we live, we have a full recycling program where we separate out all food waste, recyclables, and only throw the remaining things in the rubbish bin/trash can. This means we can go longer without changing it -- a lot longer.
So trash can or rubbish bin -- there is a funny little game we all play when we live with someone. I affectionately call it the Trash Can Game. It's when we keep stuffing more and more in -- pushing the contents down and down until the bin is jam-packed full of almost solidified trash. When you live with someone -- the goal is to fit more in so that the other person gets stuck taking out the trash. Admit it. You play the Trash Can Game, too.
On a slight tangent, I've been thinking about the Amercian slang "white trash" and how it is really the closest thing to the English term "chav," although the analogy is not perfect. It isn't a term that I feel comfortable using as a non-English person living here. The word "chav" is used primarily to describe someone who is lower-income, dresses a certain way, and usually takes pride in the term. If you want to explore the concept more, check out "Little Britain" or "The Harry Enfield Show."
Russell Brand, a quasi actor/rocker here in England (you may have seen him in the recent redux of "Arthur") came out about how the term "chav" shouldn't be used because it was an anchor around the neck of financially deprived people and it promoted a stereotype that served only to alienate people. He called for a complete cessation of the use of the word -- even in comedic circles.
The funny thing is that there are many people who (a) probably can't stand Russell Brand to begin with but also (b) view the terminology as a stereotype that is harmless as a comedic goldmine. Comedians by the boatload have come out and called Russell Brand a tw*t (an English swear word I don't usually use, but it is pretty much a quote in this case) because of his assertion.I'm sure there are people like Paul, too, who just really can't stand Russell Brand and even though he's never/rarely uttered the word "chav" before, might take it up as a banner against RB now.
2 comments:
I would say the word 'chav' is closer to the US word 'redneck'. But it's interesting with the correlation- here in the US the word has almost become a badge of honor, as in, "you know you're a redneck when....."
mpm
Hi MPM! I'm scratching my head trying to figure out who you are, actually. I'm sure you're from a blog I read regularly. Hmmm....my brain isn't working. I thought about the parallel with redneck. The only problem is that redneck sort of has racist connotations in some parts of the US -- so it was a tricky one. And also, there are big parts of the West (and South) where someone would be very offended to be called a redneck. But then again -- White Trash would cause offense, too. I think, though, that you can be a redneck no matter what your income, but white trash/trailor trash is a subset of people with less money. Oh but wait -- Chavs can have less money or more money -- oh my head is spinning.
I can't think of a single instance when I'd use the word chav to describe someone in a kind way, so maybe Russell Brand has a point.
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