Sean O'Leathlobhair    964430 Thu, 22 Jul 04 09:36 AM "In AUE, it is the Yiddish "Oy!" that is used. Don't ask me why." "Maybe it'd be best if I don't "Oy!" anybody ever again, Skitt? I don't do it very often, but it ... worms or Pandora's Box or something this time. Thanks for your input, though, Skitt. I always enjoy reading your posts." No offence taken here, it was an embarrassing mistake. I have seen this "Oy" a few times and wondered about it. I had got the impression that it was signalling either approval or disapproval but I was not sure which. Now I know what it means, I am happy that you Oy me. Do it again if you spot more silly mistakes. Long tirades over little mistakes irritate me but a short, mild indication such as that is fine with me. You have probably seem my other post on the subject (further up the thread). Yet another use of "Oi" would be an informal or rude teacher who had spotted a pupil's mistake. In my days it would often be used in conjunction with a flying bit of chalk. The "Oi" plus chalk was better than the unannounced chalk since it gave you time to duck. Seán O'Leathlóbhair (Woops, I have been forgetting my warnings - Not the only John Lawler) Sean O'Leathlobhair Mistakes

	Charles Riggs    964442 Thu, 22 Jul 04 10:49 AM "Yes, that is very true, Robin. I hadn't thought about what Charles said from that perspective. Still, as I said, I think he meant well and, he's right, I *am* a brat at times." Don't worry overly much, Chris. You should have seen me when I was, say, 18. Look how nice I am now! I knew a whole lot more then than I know now, anyway. Charles Riggs Charles Riggs

	Mike Mooney    964458 Thu, 22 Jul 04 11:14 AM "How common is it in BrE though? The only online ... Macquarie Slang dictionary. Even that doesn't define it particularly well." "I don't think that "Oi" (any spelling) is commonly written here but it is commonly spoken. As far as I ... (I have never looked in a dictionary) but "Oi" looks more familiar than "Oy". Yiddish influences are not strong here." Just to complicate things, "Oi!" is the name of a sub-genre of UK punk-rock music, frequently involving ultra-right-wing skinhead bands. Mike M Mike Mooney Spelling, Writing

	Christopher Johnson    964487 Thu, 22 Jul 04 12:51 PM "Yes, that is very true, Robin. I hadn't thought about ... well and, he's right, I *am* a brat at times." "Don't worry overly much, Chris. You should have seen me when I was, say, 18. Look how nice I am now! I knew a whole lot more then than I know now, anyway." Hmmm.. my dad sometimes says the same thing! :-) Thanks for all of your various comments, Charles. Christopher ('CJ') (Change 3032 to 77 for e-mail) Christopher Johnson

	Christopher Johnson    964488 Thu, 22 Jul 04 12:57 PM "Maybe it'd be best if I don't "Oy!" anybody ... your input, though, Skitt. I always enjoy reading your posts." "No offence taken here, it was an embarrassing mistake." Well, I spotted it straight away. It wasn't quite a typo, and spell checkers are pretty useless when it comes to dealing with homonymity, so I thought I'd risk the "Oy!". "I have seen this "Oy" a few times and wondered about it. I had got the impression that it was ... bit of chalk. The "Oi" plus chalk was better than the unannounced chalk since it gave you time to duck." Ah, yes! Chalk. I've read about that in my history books! :-) Christopher ('CJ') (Change 3032 to 77 for e-mail) Christopher Johnson Mistakes

	Tony Cooper    964492 Thu, 22 Jul 04 01:26 PM "If you are in a transport cafe (trucker stop?) then it may be OK to attract the waiter's attention with "Oi"." We use the term "truck stop". While it is the trucker that stops the truck, the truck gets the credit in this case. We'd attempt to get the waitress's attention with "Hey!" if we were rude or "Miss!" if we were older and polite. Perhaps "Yo!" in some parts of the country. I can't recall a truck stop with a waiter. Patrons in truck stops are addressed as "Honey" (or similar), and it would seem strange for a waiter to address you that way. Tony Cooper

	Tony Cooper    964493 Thu, 22 Jul 04 01:28 PM "Don't worry overly much, Chris. You should have seen me ... a whole lot more then than I know now, anyway." "Hmmm.. my dad sometimes says the same thing! :-) Thanks for all of your various comments, Charles." "Dad" sounds curiously American. Shouldn't that be on the reject list for someone that rejects Americanisms? Tony Cooper United States, American

	Matti Lamprhey    964511 Thu, 22 Jul 04 01:57 PM "Hmmm.. my dad sometimes says the same thing! :-) Thanks for all of your various comments, Charles." ""Dad" sounds curiously American. Shouldn't that be on the reject list for someone that rejects Americanisms?" I can't imagine a more natural word for a Brit to use there. If he'd said "Pop" I'd have understood your comment. Matti Matti Lamprhey United States, American

	Donna Richoux    964512 Thu, 22 Jul 04 01:58 PM "Hmmm.. my dad sometimes says the same thing! :-) Thanks for all of your various comments, Charles." ""Dad" sounds curiously American. Shouldn't that be on the reject list for someone that rejects Americanisms?" M-W says 15th century. Same for "daddy". Best Donna Richoux Donna Richoux United States, American