oy

[oyboy]

Where does the word "oy" come from and what does it mean?

[Wraith]

One source describes it as Australian slang used to get someones attention.

could it be short for 'Oh Yea' as used by town criers?

[Quizmonster]

In English usage, it is an abbreviation of the words 'Hoy!' and 'Ahoy!'...the latter being especially common in the nautical world. All three are just natural exclamations used to attract attention.

In the ******* phrase: 'Oy veh!' - to express disappointment etc - the veh is based on German 'Weh', meaning 'woe', so the whole thing suggests the English equivalent of 'Woe is me!' Again, the 'oy' element is just a call for attention.

[woofgang]

Quizzy, you vulgar thing!!! what could that deleted word have been???

[Quizmonster]

Goodness only knows why the name of a language should be filtered out! Let me explain that I referred to the 7-letter European version of the Hebrew language which begins with a 'Y' and ends in 'ish'. I wonder if I'll get away with the name of the original lingo!

[Quizmonster]

Dear Woofgang, How could you possibly even imagine that I would use vulgarity? I'm shocked! (Actually we were involved in a bit of synchrography there!) Cheers

[bernardo]

But is the Y-ddish word "oy" different fom the English word "oi"?

[Quizmonster]

Not really, B. Both are just exclamations. Sometimes the Hebraic-offshoot 'oy' is used alone to express the effect of the full 'oy veh', so - in that way - it is more meaningful than a simple 'oy' as used in English.

Our 'oi' is just a somewhat vulgar version of the more polite 'a/hoy'. If an aristocratic land-owner found you illegally fishing his trout-stream, he would shout "Hoy!" whilst his gamekeper might be expected to shout "Oi!" (It's a class thing, old boy!)

[Canib]

Oy is Hebrew for woe. It is the word used in Isaiah chapter 6 when Isaiah says "Woe is me for I am undone." Veh means pain. It is a Yiddish exclamation that is strong, but not as strong as "Gevalt!"