Entry in progress—B.P.
(Oxford English Dictionary)
oy, int. (and n.)
Etymology: Yiddish oy, an outcry or exclamation of surprise, joy, dismay, or horror.
Esp. in Jewish usage: expressing surprise, dismay, or grief; ‘oh’, ‘oh, goodness’. Also (occas.) as n.
Freq. reduplicated.
1892 I. Zangwill Children of Ghetto I. xii. 270 The dispute thickened; the synagogue hummed with ‘Ei’s’ and ‘Oi’s’ not in concord.
1896 A. Cahan Yekl iv. 73 Oi a lamentation upon me! He shaves his beard!
1928 H. Crane Let. 22 Feb. (1965) 317 Oy-oy-oy! I have just had my ninth snifter of Scotch.
WPM Invitational
Word Play Masters Invitational
For years an email has been circulating about the “Washington Post’s Mensa invitational” which includes a very clever list of words made by changing common words.
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THIS SITE IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE WASHINGTON POST!
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14. Oyster, n. A person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.
OANDA Forex Forum
tsch
Feb. 1, 2005 21:59:00
Trivia
The ANNUAL NEOLOGISM CONTEST
Once again, The Washington Post has published the winning submissions to its yearly contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words. And the winners are:
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14. Oyster (n.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.
Twitter
Alan Thicke
@alan_thicke
‘Mensa dictionary ‘12’: Oyster, n. A person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.
6:22 AM - 15 Apr 13
Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.
Recent entries:
•“I do enjoy playing ‘telekinetic snooker.’ However, you’ve got to be in the right frame of mind for it” (5/4)
•“What do you call a cynical cow?”/“Sour cream.” (5/4)
•“Soft taco, warm taco, little ball of meat. Happy taco, sleepy taco, eat, eat, eat” (5/4)
•“The Founding Fathers weren’t concerned about specific types of guns…” (5/4)
•“The Founding Fathers weren’t concerned about a certain type of weapon…” (5/4)
More new entries...
Above, Big Apple Corner at 54th Street and Broadway in Manhattan. Google Maps. Stolen and missing, 2021-2024.
Above, John J. Fitz Gerald, from the Aug. 15, 1931, Binghamton (NY) Press, pg. 14.
Listen to Robert Emmerich introduce "The Big Apple," a hit song from 1937. Music written by Bob and performed by Tommy Dorsey's Clambake Seven with Bob on piano. Lyrics written by Buddy Bernier and sung by Edythe Wright. Audio provided by Dorothy Emmerich.
Also listen to a 1937 "The Big Apple" song by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra. See a 1929 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald and a 1931 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald.
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