Oi (Interjection) | Hacker News Reader

Oi (Interjection)

en.wikipedia.org

43 pointsuserbinator34 comments

I'm pretty sure this is also used in some Italian dialects both in the "vocative" ("ohi bimbi!" In Tuscany) and in the "expression of pain" (as an alternative to the more common "ahi").

The Italian spelling would contain an "h" but it is not pronounced anyways.

Alas, this is really hard to Google :)

Not really, the English "Oi!" is used assertively as a strong interjection. Something you'd shout across the street.

In Italian "oh!" is similar but more flexible and we use it constantly, at least north of the Po river, to assert oneself, as expression of pain, as expression of sadness, etc.

Similarly expressive is our "eh!"; usually used to reinforce and agree with someone else. "Eh! Te l'ho detto!"

Great article. Dunno if I'd call myself an Anglophile but I do get a kick out of uniquely British expressions like these.

The interwebs have taught me that Oi can often be followed with "you what, mate?!*

Also interesting and not mentioned among the other languages/"see also" sections - "Oyez!" and "¡Oye!"

The spanish form might be close phonetically but it's not remotely related

Oir it's a verb on and by itself and comes from latin audīre and the "¡Oye!" Expression is usually used as a retort, not as an initiator. In cooking settings "¡Oido!" Is used both as a call for attention as an answer.

I've heard "oe" being used to call for someones attention or like a greeting.

I'm more used to say "¡Eo!” but then again Spanish is spoken everywhere so variations surely exist

I also thought it was just British at first, but apparently the same sound is used in other languages for a similar purpose.

> The interwebs have taught me that Oi can often be followed with "you what, mate?!*

Only in Britan. In Australia it's usually "oi, dickhead" or - in a call and response format "oi", "what, dickhead?".

“You what, mate?” is fairly aggressive, it immediately makes me think of some dickhead in a pub taking offence to someone and looking to escalate to a physical confrontation (I’m British).

Unrelated but “oi, dickhead” is what I shout at my cat when he tries to climb the Christmas tree for the nth time that day.

comes with its own music style, Oi!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oi!

Cockney also use "oi oi" as an informal greeting amongst friends in lad culture. An example at around 51 seconds here https://youtu.be/45jm32SZ798?si=BOcx8TBpaLnIxBQd

Also “Doin’ doin’” seems to be increasingly filling this role

For anyone interested, the Australian criminal/entertainer Spanian is an excellent look into contemporary “eshay” culture

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCecAIXPb5KTJz5BFnUzlTaA

Oi! is how I find my friends in crowded places. We've all lived with Australians, who taught us. One quick "oi" will really quick cut through the commotion of a crowd and cause our gazes to practically crash zoom into each other.

It's interesting how perceptions of things change in different cultures. I remember an Australian colleague who used this term in a casual context among our other Texan coworkers. The Texans were quite surprised, and almost aghast. When asked later, they said that the term was demeaning, despite no one being offended in the slightest, and they didn't really seem to understand how context changes the meaning of a word, or how to pick up on context clues.

Also infliction. "Oi!" and "Oi.." have very different meanings.

In my experience, 'oi' has a few usages:

- Drawn out "oiiiiiii" and a pointed finger when someone makes a witty remark or has some kind of success. As in, "oiiii, nice one".

- "OI!" as a generic "hey!" shouted at someone to get their attention in the street.

- "oi?" with an upwards inflection to express disbelief

- Getting your friend's attention, usually followed by an insulting term like 'dickhead'. As in, "oi dickhead, watch out" when someone is trying to pass them on the street.

I'm pretty sure the third one is separately descended from the Yiddish "Oy Vey"

That's very interesting - the Chinese "oi" has pretty much exactly the same usages, down to the little details! (I'm most familiar with the Cantonese 喂 wai2, though it's not my first language)

I wonder if that suggests this is one of those universal pre-linguistic words, like "huh" [1]. That feels especially believable given the utter simplicity of the mouth sound. It's almost just a yell, in the same way that "huh" is almost just an outbreath.

[1] https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/everybody-almo...

My music teacher, an Englishman, said he could never get over how Swedes watch fireworks and go "Oi!".

I picked "oi" up from my dad, who used it with us. I likewise use it with my kids, and also with dogs who have silly facial expressions.

The Portuguese section is outdated regarding European Portuguese, where oi is already very used due to Brazilian influence

Oi!

Oi! (with this enthusiasm you'd be friends with a Brazilian in a second :).)

Reminds me of Roy Kent in Ted Lasso. There is a different but similar word in Hindi/Urdu/Punjabi - Oye.

The Baltic area (Northern Germany and neighbours) greeting "Moin" is certainly a close parent.

> working class

Is that the etymology of the word "oik" ( "a person who says oi" ) ?

Americans should learn this. Very useful.

OI! YOU!

Aussie Aussie Aussie!!!

Oi Oi Oi!!!

Aussie!

I do find internationals usually do miss the second "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie". It really confuses crowds when international sports commentators come over and don't understand the call and response ordering!

Oi!

Aussie!

Oy is deep in my very soul.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com