Where does “oi” come from?
Oi derives from English ahoy, which comes from Dutch gooi, itself from Proto-Germanic hawwaną and ultimately Proto-Indo-European kewh₂-, a root of uncertain meaning.
oi (English): API; hey; An expression of surprise
Definitions
- API; hey; An expression of surprise
Ancestry of “oi”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | hoy | A small coaster vessel, usually sloop-rigged,... |
| 2 | German | Heu | hay; plentiful money; marijuana |
| 3 | Middle High German | höuwe | hay |
| 4 | Old High German | hewi | hay |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | hawi | hay |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | hawją | hay |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | hawwaną | to hew, to chop; to forge |
| 8 | Proto-Celtic | sukkos | pig (snout) |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | suH- | pig, hog, swine |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | sewH- | to bear; to give birth |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | sew- | to press out, extract; juice; liquid, rain; to... |