ogy ogy ogy / oy oy oy

[manutdstott]

where does it come from and what does it mean, ogy ogy ogy / oy oy oy, I remember saying it in the playground in the eighties and i just heard it again, anyone know please, thanx

[strozzi]

The chant "oggie oggie oggie" is usually followed by a response of "oye oye oye" and is a nonsense chant often used at sporting contests. One explanation is that it started in Cornwall, where cornish pasties are still known as oggies. It is said that when their wives delivered lunch to the Cornish tin miners they would shout "oggie oggie oggie" into the mine. The miners would respond with "oye oye oye" to let the women know that they had been heard. We should look to the venerable Quizmonster, who is apparently acknowledged as this site's expert on the derivation of words to provide the ultimate answer.

[Quizmonster]

I'm perfectly happy to go with your wonderful answer here, Strozzi! Certainly, I can't find anything to dispute it.

[mikewith]

Catherine Zeta Jones gave a rendition at the Baftas (?) in an effort to prove she's, y'know, a Swansea girl at heart and all that money and fancy living hasn't changed her one bit. And? Well, I crtainly didn't believe her!

[davepenk]

Can't be sure what it means - I first heard it when the Welsh comedian Max Boyce frequently used it as a catch-phrase on his 1970's TV shows.

[xyzzy@bok]

agree with strozzi - but it wasn't nonsense to miners, probably vital :-)

[priveet]

My Dad says that it was a popular chant in the Royal Navy in the 50s and 60s and was always used as the Plymouth based sailors rallying cry.

[collatallie]

i thought it was an army chant?

[manutdstott]

thanx what a great response to what i thiought might of been a silly question. i think i might take strozzi and quizmonster as the favourite for the correct answer.