parentsof2

Hello,

I have been avidly watching 'Neighbours' to find out all about Australian culture I have noticed the word bogan is mentioned a lot. What exactly does it mean (I'm thinking it is a derogatory term) and what would be the british alternative?

Thank you in anticipation,

Karen

BertieB

Found this -

Bogan is Australian (especially teenage) slang for someone who is not `with it' in terms of behaviour and appearance, someone who is 'not us'; hence, someone horrible, contemptible

Anastasia Beaverhausen

I've always thought of a bogan as the Aussie opposite of a Chav.

Jaycee1

This is frightening....
We have a child in reception called Brogan :scared:
J x

Ozzidoc

Hmmm more than that. Its the same as a "westy" in sydney.

Generally....poor, housing commission areas (worse connotation in Oz than in UK), very rough, low educational standards, no career, nor even trade (or at least highly unlikely).

Jane and Russ Middleton

hi,

A Bogan is if in WA a lout/hooligan if in NSW it is someone unstylish...

How do I know this ??? well I was given the 'True Blue guide to australian slang' by my new ozzy neighbour for my birthday on sat !!

Full of it eh !!

Jane
xx

Adelaideman

some more info

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bogan

iPom

They're known as 'ferals' in the mts.

Fiona&malc

I always thought a bogan was a country hick type of person !! obviously got that one wrong

hawk2005

bogans are as stupid & ugly as but not as evil as chavs.

Plus they tend to be more solitary in nature - chavs tend to roam in packs. I'd back a bogan in a one on one but in reality the bogan would eventually tire and be brought down by the crowd of chavs buzzing around it.

Britishaussie

I thought the original idea of a chav was someone who dresses in branded sports clothing and wears thick gold jewelley from Argos, or dresses head to foot in burberry, driving a vauxhall nova or equivalent. They don't necessarily have to be poor or come from rough areas, there are plenty of well-off chavs around. It used to be a label to describe someone who dresses in this uniform but the term now seems to describe any British scumbag who wears a hooded top and has criminal tendencies - and lives in a rough area to boot.

renth

typical bogans

iPom

Dear god, that's my brother in law!

goodbyegirl

the word chav has been around long before the sports clothing, gold chains thing. well in kent it has anyhow.
sounds to me as if boguns are ferrals.....tho ferals arn't what i'd originally have called ferrals, i'd have called them stigs or even crustys..

BadgeIsBack

Also some ferals and bogans are just 'country folk'.

Where I live, people are too busy looking after their acreage to care what they dress in.

Therefore lots of professionals look like bogans at weekends. Me too. I can't remember the last time I put on a decent shirt or pair of trousers. There's just no point.

Give me a bogan (or a hoon) over a chav anyday.