Well, it started out as a general phrase for punk and punks (based on them saying "Oi!" to each other all the time as a form of greeting – just like the Japanese use it), but over the years became more and more associated with the skinhead/white supremicist contingent, even though many of the punks wo originally used it were against racism.
"The term "oi boy" (male) and "oi toy" (female) are mostly used in negative ways now -- unless of course the person is proud to be associated with that scene. Some people use it in an ironic way (like the way gangstas use the "N" word), which complicates it even further!
Here are a few sites with info, including the many meanings that the term has in other countries (several of which have already been discussed in this thread).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oi%21
what the hell? that's the biggest load of crap i've EVER read.
did you actually read the links you posted?
@wiki:
Oi, pronounced [ɔɪ], is a British and Australian working class slang interjection used to get someone's attention, or to express surprise or disapproval. It is not polite, but it is not especially offensive.
In Japanese, as in Catalan, "Oi" can be used to get another person's attention, but its use is considered too casual for many situations, and potentially offensive in some.
"oi" was not started by punks. nor does it carry any kind of racist connotation whatsoever.
i don't know where you're from, but i grew up in london and now live in tokyo, and the word is pretty much the same in both english and japanese.
@urbandictionary:
1. A word used by english ppl like myself when trying to attract the attention of someone. 2. also can be used in a different way, if some one was to bump into you in the street, you'd turn around and say "oi!"
its the same in japanese. it is used either to attract attention, or as an exclamation/expression of slight confusion/etc. american "hey" is just the same too.
i am very confused. 'people use it in an ironic way like gangstas use nigga'?? seriously, biggest load of crap i have EVER read on the whole internet.