May 27 2008

Chavori

category: language
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A narrow boat called ‘Chavori’ on the River Kennet.  A google search for the word Chavori produces very few search results (3 pages) and perplexingly questions whether I wanted to search for ‘behavior’,  the results include texts on the ‘Romany’, ‘Gypsy’ languages.  One article, ‘A memoire of the language of the gypsies as now used in the Turkish Empire’ describes Chavori as ”a young female child.‘  Evidently, many English Romany words have become common usage within the English language e.g. lolly, cosh, cushy and most recently chav.


May 16 2008

vodka & food

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Establishment advertising Vodka and food (flickr photoshare)The sign over a Reading downtown establishment says ‘Vodka and Food’,  not ‘Spirits and Sandwiches’  nor ‘Alcohol and Chicken tikka Masala’  not ‘Food and Vodka’,  nor ‘Lunch and Liquor’.  I wonder who their audience is?  I’ve heard about Chav’s’ since returning to Britian,  do Chav’s favour Vodka?

What does he CCTV camera directed at the entrance tell me?  Probably not much since CCTV cameras are almost ubiquitous in UK town centres,  apparantly in 2006 there was one camera for every 14 people,  but maybe it says something that I can’t hear…