Wednesday 28 March 2018

Hoy!

'Hoy!' is a call for attention, sound made to drive livestock or a way to hail a boat ... apparently.

Personally I'd go for 'Hi' or 'Hello' in the first instance, always used 'cummo-on' to get the cows moving (and was pleased to hear the exact same call used by the people moving these cattle in the Outer Hebrides), and wouldn't be able to resist 'ahoy there' should I ever need to yell at someone on a boat.

Another thing my dictionary claims is that hoy is an Australian game resembling bingo which is played with cards. It's a long time since I played bingo, but I'm fairly sure it doesn't even vaguely resemble cards. Anyway ...

A hoy is a small vessel, usually rigged as a sloop, which carries pasengers or goods for small distances. I can't argue wth that, as I've not yet done sufficient research. Clearly I need another boat trip or two.

Here's a free to enter short story competition with a prize of publication in a glossy magazine and a two night stay in a castle; ideal if you want to get away from the hoi polloi ;-)

10 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Can we say ahoy?

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

ahoy

Rosemary Gemmell said...

I've just mentioned that competition in my soon-to-go-out newsletter, Patsy - in case you think I've taken it from here!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Patsy ... Hoy sounds good - Chris Hoy? Yet the Highland cattle are wonderful to see ... I'll be shouting ahoy now .. Happy Easter - cheers Hilary

Patsy said...

Yes – I'm not entirely sure what the difference is (if there is one).

Patsy said...

And to you!

Patsy said...

I can't remember where I saw this one, Rosemary. Quite possibly the same place you did.

Patsy said...

Happy Easter, Hilary.

Jackiet said...

Our Aussie cattle understand cummo-on, too! Maybe it's their British ancestry?

Patsy said...

Could be!