Do Brits actually say "Oy"? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Four Fingers · 09-21-2003, 01:57 PM

When they said it in Snatch and that other Guy Ritcie film, I assumed it was a cartoonishly exaggerated version of British, as spoken by London criminals only. But recently, I've watched About a Boy, which also takes place somewhere in London. A girl in the film kept saying "Oy", and it wasn't regarded as comical or humorous at all.

That left me thinking, maybe Brits do speak that way. Maybe "Oy" is indeed a commonly-used term in England.

Any idea?

CSflim · 09-21-2003, 02:11 PM

weird...I didn't even notice "Oy" in Lock Stock or Snatch...that probably says it all! In what context was "Oy" used, because I don't have a clue what you're talking about!

Four Fingers · 09-21-2003, 02:23 PM

It's used in circumstances similar to those when Americans say "Hey."

peacy · 09-21-2003, 02:24 PM

Yep. They do. My flatmate confirmed it too... (he's born brit)

*edit
You can also hear it in the movie "Bridget Jones's Diary" when the mic is not working and Bridget tries to make a speach, she's shouting "Oy"...

Four Fingers · 09-21-2003, 02:25 PM

And that's not a hello-like "Hey."
It's rather a "Hey! get out of my car!"-like "Hey."

Four Fingers · 09-21-2003, 02:26 PM

Thanks for confirming it, peacy.
Funny people, aren't they?

peacy · 09-21-2003, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Four Fingers
Thanks for confirming it, peacy.
Funny people, aren't they?

Yes, they're.

When I moved here I thought I can speak english. Than I faced the fact that there's a difference between english and brit...

hunnychile · 09-21-2003, 02:48 PM

I work with several brits and none of them say "Oy." Maybe because it's really not a brit slang term. However I've known a few Aussies and they (and neighboring fellow Kiwis) who do say "Oy" with gusto.

CSflim · 09-21-2003, 02:52 PM

OH!....Now I get you...It's spelt "Oi"!

and yes the Brits use it all the time, as do we Irish. I never even noticed the fact that the word never appears in American films!

bundy · 09-21-2003, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hunnychile
However I've known a few Aussies and they (and neighboring fellow Kiwis) who do say "Oy" with gusto.

yes, its actually an entire line in our sports chant...

<center>AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE,
OI, OI, OI!!</center>

vermin · 09-21-2003, 08:30 PM

Is that what you feed to horses? bales of oy?

sadistikdreams · 09-21-2003, 08:56 PM

OY!
dun-a dun dun dun
OY OY!!
dun dun dun duna
OY!!!

platypus · 09-22-2003, 05:21 AM

Jacko was proabably our (the US) first widespread introduction to <b>Oi!</b>

My Aussie wife says it all the time, as does my daughter now. I even find myself saying it sometimes.

bundy · 09-22-2003, 05:37 AM

omg.
i´ve dreaded the day that clown got his mug on the TFP.

ENERGIZER, OI!!

may as well show a piccy of his best mate... Mark ´Chopper´ Reid...

some of you may remember chopper from the recent Eric Bana film.

apparently these days they do a comedy show together. they play at random dodgy pubs.

can you imagine, a psycho afl legend, and his best mate, a psycho killer up on stage laughing at everything and everyone.

´OI!!! why aren´t you laughing??´
´better give him the treatment, eh chop??´

good old aussie humour.

cchris · 09-22-2003, 07:02 AM

Makes "Aunty Jack" look tame.

Pyrate · 09-22-2003, 08:13 AM

I say Oi all the time...so do a lot of people I know.

Oi!: Annoyance at someone, sometimes used to let someone know they tipped over ur cup of coffee all over you, and that you expect them to apologise promptly and profusely...

Oi!: Used to get someone's attention, especially when the recipient of the 'Oi!' is somewhere in the distance...

Oiiii!: When you see so'm you like or you think is brilliant, you go, Oiiiiiii!

Oi Oi!: Used to get the attention of someone you know, usually at close quarters...kinda like 'hey there!' but not quite as dry. Also couples as a greeting of the lowest form, which is usually good enough between close friends...

What the hell am I doing anyway...

ps it's been a while since I last checked in, please welcome me back! I missed you flyman, and bundy, and and and fremen (a little bit...)

KWSN · 09-22-2003, 05:28 PM

[The Streets - Don't Mug Yourself]

A new day another morning after leaning back on my chair in a greasy spoon cafeteria
Last night was some beer lairyness done our way,
but again we?re back in the light of day.
Chatting shit sitting at the wall table, telling jokes playing with the salt,
looking out the window,
girl brings 2 plates of full English over with plenty of scrambled eggs and plenty of fried tomato.
Get my phone out about to give this girl a shout see if she had a nice night last night up town.
Ask if she fancy trying it again sometime then Kalv grabs the phone like Oi Oi Oi Oi
Hold it down boy,
Your heads getting blurred
I know you can?t stop thinking of her
By all means you can vibe with this girl,
But just don?t mug yourself that?s all don?t mug yourself
Seriously Nick, you fucker?
Nah nah nah, itswhatimean, I fuckin? I?m no way really d?ya know what I mean,
I can take it or leave it, believe
then Kalvins like OI
You need to hold it down jack, put your phone back
Quit staring into space and hit the sack that?s that
She?ll want you much more for not hanging on
Stop me if I?m wrong Stop me if I?m wrong
Why should she be the one to decide whether it?s off or on or on or off or on
Now the girls rude, I know she?s rude but she?s screwed right though you you?ll be on your knee soon.
Hold it down boy,
Your heads getting blurred
I know you can?t stop thinking of her
By all means you can vibe with this girl,
But just don?t mug yourself that?s all don?t mug yourself
And I?m like, honestly it?s not like that,
your acting like I?m prancing like a sap jumpin when she claps and that
do you really think I act whack cause I?m telling ya,
I?m serving the aces and it?s game set and match
Perfectly in control, of this goal,
I?ve got the lead role, won?t be fold and I?m older than you told.
Girl sold, high speeds gold, game over game over too cold.
Hold it down boy,
Your heads getting blurred
I know you can?t stop thinking of her
By all means you can vibe with this girl,
But just don?t mug yourself that?s all don?t mug yourself
Hold it down boy,
Your heads getting blurred
I know you can?t stop thinking of her
By all means you can vibe with this girl,
But just don?t mug yourself that?s all don?t mug yourself
Yaaahhh, Hold it down boy,
Your heads getting blurred
I know you can?t stop thinking of her
That girl, and she a smell it on her piece,
She must have crabs and fucking shrimp in her teeth

my answer: yes.

David2000 · 09-22-2003, 05:43 PM

If English guys say "oy," then do english jews say "oy gevalt"?

Four Fingers · 09-22-2003, 10:33 PM

Good question. How about "Oy vey zmir"?
Any British Jews in here?

bundy · 09-22-2003, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cchris
Makes "Aunty Jack" look tame.

hahahaha

¨i´ll break your bloody arm off
and i will too.¨

Fly · 09-23-2003, 03:22 AM

OI,OI,OI.....eh

paddyjoe · 09-23-2003, 04:04 AM

Not just part of the British language, it also has strong roots in Spanish culture.

OY e como va

jwoody · 09-23-2003, 04:20 AM

It should be noted that attracting attention by calling out "oi!" in the North East of England will probably get you a smack in the face.

We would address our comrades with "how!" (say it fast)

Eg: "How! yee." - 'Excuse me, sir'
"How, man." - 'You appear to have spilt lager on my tabs.'
"Howay, man" - 'Come along, good fellow.'
"Howay the lads!" - An expression of glee, particularly at footbal matches.

Anyone who uses 'oi!' on a regular basis is a cockney, or soft Southern shandy drinker. Whereas I, myself, am a Northern monkey.

platypus · 09-23-2003, 04:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bundy
omg.
i´ve dreaded the day that clown got his mug on the TFP.

ENERGIZER, OI!!

'Tis true, you have shipped over some fine representatives...
Croc Dundee, Croc Hunter, the Puppetry of the Penis guys, and good god now the Wiggles.

Oi, me achin' head.

merkerguitars · 09-23-2003, 07:03 AM

tnt oi oi tnt oi oi

Pyrate · 09-23-2003, 08:30 AM

Oi! Cuddit owwwt! NOW!!!

09-21-2003, 01:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
Four Fingers Crazy	Do Brits actually say "Oy"? When they said it in Snatch and that other Guy Ritcie film, I assumed it was a cartoonishly exaggerated version of British, as spoken by London criminals only. But recently, I've watched About a Boy, which also takes place somewhere in London. A girl in the film kept saying "Oy", and it wasn't regarded as comical or humorous at all. That left me thinking, maybe Brits do speak that way. Maybe "Oy" is indeed a commonly-used term in England. Any idea? __________________ "Always do right - this will gratify some and astonish the rest."

09-21-2003, 02:11 PM	#2 (permalink)
CSflim Sky Piercer Location: Ireland	weird...I didn't even notice "Oy" in Lock Stock or Snatch...that probably says it all! In what context was "Oy" used, because I don't have a clue what you're talking about! __________________

09-21-2003, 02:23 PM	#3 (permalink)
Four Fingers Crazy	It's used in circumstances similar to those when Americans say "Hey." __________________ "Always do right - this will gratify some and astonish the rest."

09-21-2003, 02:24 PM	#4 (permalink)
peacy Crazy Location: Reading, UK	Yep. They do. My flatmate confirmed it too... (he's born brit) edit You can also hear it in the movie "Bridget Jones's Diary" when the mic is not working and Bridget tries to make a speach, she's shouting "Oy"... Last edited by peacy; 09-21-2003 at 02:29 PM..*

09-21-2003, 02:25 PM	#5 (permalink)
Four Fingers Crazy	And that's not a hello-like "Hey." It's rather a "Hey! get out of my car!"-like "Hey." __________________ "Always do right - this will gratify some and astonish the rest."

09-21-2003, 02:26 PM	#6 (permalink)
Four Fingers Crazy	Thanks for confirming it, peacy. Funny people, aren't they? __________________ "Always do right - this will gratify some and astonish the rest."

09-21-2003, 02:48 PM	#8 (permalink)
hunnychile Alien Anthropologist Location: Between Boredom and Nirvana	I work with several brits and none of them say "Oy." Maybe because it's really not a brit slang term. However I've known a few Aussies and they (and neighboring fellow Kiwis) who do say "Oy" with gusto. __________________ "I need compassion, understanding and chocolate." - NJB

09-21-2003, 02:52 PM	#9 (permalink)
CSflim Sky Piercer Location: Ireland	OH!....Now I get you...It's spelt "Oi"! and yes the Brits use it all the time, as do we Irish. I never even noticed the fact that the word never appears in American films! __________________

09-21-2003, 08:30 PM	#11 (permalink)
vermin Indifferent to anti-matter Location: Tucson, AZ	Is that what you feed to horses? bales of oy? __________________ If puns were sausages, this would be the wurst.

09-21-2003, 08:56 PM	#12 (permalink)
sadistikdreams lonely rolling star Location: Seattle.	OY! dun-a dun dun dun OY OY!! dun dun dun duna OY!!! __________________ "Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials." -Lin Yutang hearts, by d.a.

09-22-2003, 05:21 AM	#13 (permalink)
platypus Essen meine kurze Hosen Location: NY Burbs	Jacko was proabably our (the US) first widespread introduction to <b>Oi!</b> My Aussie wife says it all the time, as does my daughter now. I even find myself saying it sometimes. __________________ Out the 10Base-T, through the router, down the T1, over the leased line, off the bridge, past the firewall...nothing but Net.

09-22-2003, 05:37 AM	#14 (permalink)
bundy . Location: Tokyo	omg. i´ve dreaded the day that clown got his mug on the TFP. ENERGIZER, OI!! may as well show a piccy of his best mate... Mark ´Chopper´ Reid... some of you may remember chopper from the recent Eric Bana film. apparently these days they do a comedy show together. they play at random dodgy pubs. can you imagine, a psycho afl legend, and his best mate, a psycho killer up on stage laughing at everything and everyone. ´OI!!! why aren´t you laughing??´ ´better give him the treatment, eh chop??´ good old aussie humour. __________________ Ohayo!!!

09-22-2003, 07:02 AM	#15 (permalink)
cchris Junkie Location: Sydney	Makes "Aunty Jack" look tame. __________________ There's a fine line between participation and mockery

09-22-2003, 08:13 AM	#16 (permalink)
Pyrate Psycho Location: London, CorBlimeyLand	I say Oi all the time...so do a lot of people I know. Oi!: Annoyance at someone, sometimes used to let someone know they tipped over ur cup of coffee all over you, and that you expect them to apologise promptly and profusely... Oi!: Used to get someone's attention, especially when the recipient of the 'Oi!' is somewhere in the distance... Oiiii!: When you see so'm you like or you think is brilliant, you go, Oiiiiiii! Oi Oi!: Used to get the attention of someone you know, usually at close quarters...kinda like 'hey there!' but not quite as dry. Also couples as a greeting of the lowest form, which is usually good enough between close friends... What the hell am I doing anyway... ps it's been a while since I last checked in, please welcome me back! I missed you flyman, and bundy, and and and fremen (a little bit...) __________________ ?

09-22-2003, 05:28 PM	#17 (permalink)
KWSN green	[The Streets - Don't Mug Yourself] A new day another morning after leaning back on my chair in a greasy spoon cafeteria Last night was some beer lairyness done our way, but again we?re back in the light of day. Chatting shit sitting at the wall table, telling jokes playing with the salt, looking out the window, girl brings 2 plates of full English over with plenty of scrambled eggs and plenty of fried tomato. Get my phone out about to give this girl a shout see if she had a nice night last night up town. Ask if she fancy trying it again sometime then Kalv grabs the phone like Oi Oi Oi Oi Hold it down boy, Your heads getting blurred I know you can?t stop thinking of her By all means you can vibe with this girl, But just don?t mug yourself that?s all don?t mug yourself Seriously Nick, you fucker? Nah nah nah, itswhatimean, I fuckin? I?m no way really d?ya know what I mean, I can take it or leave it, believe then Kalvins like OI You need to hold it down jack, put your phone back Quit staring into space and hit the sack that?s that She?ll want you much more for not hanging on Stop me if I?m wrong Stop me if I?m wrong Why should she be the one to decide whether it?s off or on or on or off or on Now the girls rude, I know she?s rude but she?s screwed right though you you?ll be on your knee soon. Hold it down boy, Your heads getting blurred I know you can?t stop thinking of her By all means you can vibe with this girl, But just don?t mug yourself that?s all don?t mug yourself And I?m like, honestly it?s not like that, your acting like I?m prancing like a sap jumpin when she claps and that do you really think I act whack cause I?m telling ya, I?m serving the aces and it?s game set and match Perfectly in control, of this goal, I?ve got the lead role, won?t be fold and I?m older than you told. Girl sold, high speeds gold, game over game over too cold. Hold it down boy, Your heads getting blurred I know you can?t stop thinking of her By all means you can vibe with this girl, But just don?t mug yourself that?s all don?t mug yourself Hold it down boy, Your heads getting blurred I know you can?t stop thinking of her By all means you can vibe with this girl, But just don?t mug yourself that?s all don?t mug yourself Yaaahhh, Hold it down boy, Your heads getting blurred I know you can?t stop thinking of her That girl, and she a smell it on her piece, She must have crabs and fucking shrimp in her teeth my answer: yes. __________________ Your arms are broken!

09-23-2003, 03:22 AM	#21 (permalink)
Fly see the links to my music? Location: Beautiful British Columbia	OI,OI,OI.....eh __________________ BASTARD SterlingStudios

09-23-2003, 07:03 AM	#25 (permalink)
merkerguitars Buffering......... Location: Wisconsin...	tnt oi oi tnt oi oi __________________ Donate now! Ask me How! Please use the search function it is your friend. Look at my mustang please feel free to comment! http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=26985

09-22-2003, 05:43 PM	#18 (permalink)
David2000 Tilted Location: New Haven, CT	If English guys say "oy," then do english jews say "oy gevalt"? __________________ However livin' better now, Gucci sweater now..

09-22-2003, 10:33 PM	#19 (permalink)
Four Fingers Crazy	Good question. How about "Oy vey zmir"? Any British Jews in here? __________________ "Always do right - this will gratify some and astonish the rest."

09-23-2003, 04:04 AM	#22 (permalink)
paddyjoe through charlatans phone Location: Northcoast	Not just part of the British language, it also has strong roots in Spanish culture. OY e como va

09-23-2003, 04:20 AM	#23 (permalink)
jwoody Shackle Me Not Location: Newcastle - England.	It should be noted that attracting attention by calling out "oi!" in the North East of England will probably get you a smack in the face. We would address our comrades with "how!" (say it fast) Eg: "How! yee." - 'Excuse me, sir' "How, man." - 'You appear to have spilt lager on my tabs.' "Howay, man" - 'Come along, good fellow.' "Howay the lads!" - An expression of glee, particularly at footbal matches. Anyone who uses 'oi!' on a regular basis is a cockney, or soft Southern shandy drinker. Whereas I, myself, am a Northern monkey. __________________ .

09-23-2003, 08:30 AM	#26 (permalink)
Pyrate Psycho Location: London, CorBlimeyLand	Oi! Cuddit owwwt! NOW!!! __________________ ?