question about an word/exclamation

[Raddox]

I'm a Swede that have been having a Belarussian exchange student at home for almost a week now, which means I've been speaking a lot of english...
My friends say that I have an almost exaggerated british accent.

Anyway, this question might sound a bit stupid. But I've noticed that I usually put in some "oi" when speaking every now and then.
Sometimes I use it as an "aye" but mostly as a word to get attention
Examples:
"Oi! get over here"
"Oi, I agree"
"Oi, it goes like this..."
I don't know where I've picked up this word, or if it even exist in the english language.
So that's my question: Is there such a word/exclamation in English and is it commonly used, or is it only something I've made up?

 

[Casiopea]

"Oi! get over here"
"Oi, I agree"
"Oi, it goes like this..."

The word "oi" is an interjection used to attract attention. It's informal and comparable to American English "hey". Although its origin is unknown, I suspect it came from the words "I say", with "I" having been prounced as [oi] in Cockney.



By they way, "oi" is also an interjection used to attract attention in Japanese. It's informal speech.

 

[RonBee]

I believe that oy is an English borrowing from Yiddish and that it is mostly used in Jewish communities, but it appears to be catching on in other places.

 

[Raddox]

alright, thanks

 

[Casiopea]

I believe that oy is an English borrowing from Yiddish and that it is mostly used in Jewish communities, but it appears to be catching on in other places.

Hmm. He just schelpt away. Oy evay :shock:

 

[RonBee]

I believe that oy is an English borrowing from Yiddish and that it is mostly used in Jewish communities, but it appears to be catching on in other places.

Hmm. He just schelpt away. Oy evay :shock:

:wink: