New Adventures In Cultural Understanding

Oggy Oggy Oggy! Oi! Oi! Oi!"

What's it mean? I don't know. But I was urged to shout it as a floated in London dockwater Sunday morning before starting in the The London Triathlon. I'm told it sounded impressive, if a bit testosteroney, from the shore. Wikipedia says it's a common chant at British sporting events, but until now I'd only heard its derivative antipodean version, which begins, not surprisingly, "Aussie Aussie Aussie!" There's a longer explanation of the chant's possible origin over at Wikipedia--the roots are Cornish, and it involves pasties.

I asked my cultural interpreter, Simon, its meaning. His reply: "I blame the midlands or may be summer holiday camps (I will explain). I have never liked such chants."