I read the "What shall I wear in the U.K. so I don't look like a tourist" posts with some amusement because after watching BBC America (such programs as Homes Under the Hammer, etc.), I can't see much difference between how the average person in the U.K. dresses vs. those of us in the U.S. Jeans, white sneakers (trainers), t-shirts with logos - it's all there! As someone mentioned in a previous post, once we open our mouths everyone's going to know we're tourists no matter what we're wearing!

Yes - its; true that while doing home repairs, constrtuctions, going to the market etc many people in Britain tend to dress not too diferently than we do here.

The difference is that as a tourist you are not doing home repairs or running to the market for a quart of milk. And hopefully, you would dress a little better - more stylishly - than if you were - when touring a major city, eating in pleasant restaurants (vs MickeyD's - go naked if you want).

The people you mention are probably what are known in the UK as "chavs"

If you look at http://www.chavscum.co.uk/howto.php
you'll see what I mean.

Well, you learn something new every day! I never heard of a "Chav." They remind me of the people in the U.S. who still wear mullets!

I couldn't find an explanation on the web site about where the term Chav came from. Care to enlighten? By the way, the Chav Agony Aunt is hilarious!

Here's an interesting article on the phenomenon which mentions the website. It seems "chav" comes from Romani for "child."

Oops, forgot the website:
http://www.worldwidewords.org/topicalwords/tw-cha2.htm

LVSue,

Thanks for the explanation and web site. I enjoy learning the origins of different words and phrases. I'm from Western Pennsylvania where we have quite a number of unique words. I grew up using the term "read up" (pronounced "red&quot, which comes from the Old English for getting something ready. We would say something along the lines of "Company's coming so I better read up the house." Also, in the town where I grew up, we also referred to shift work as a "trick." ("I'm working second trick tonight.&quot I have no idea where that originated, other than it's somewhat dubious possible relationship to ladies of the night!