It happened to me just this cockcrow , when I was fiddling with my water closet doorway , trying to get them back on their tracks so they would slide correctly . As one door fell off and slammed into the other , my response was automatic . “ Aye yai yai , these doors ! ”
I catch myself upon uttering the set phrase . What the hell does that mean , anyway ? And where does it come from ? It ’s awing how often we use phrases out of substance abuse and guess meaning rather than an understanding of what we ’re really tell .
While many culture have similar exclamations ( such as the Chineseaiyo ) , the most likely path the saying contain into the English language is from our nearby neighbors in Mexico . The Spanish worday!translates to the exclamation of “ oh ! ” in English , and thus any repetition of the parole , such as “ ay ay ay , ” would understand a signified of dismay , mix-up , or frustration .
There are several ways the phrase is usually spelled in the English lyric , such as “ aye yi yi , ” “ ai yai yai ” and “ ay yai yai , ” but there is no formal acknowledgment about which is correct given its slang nature .
Nor is it exculpated how , when , or why the “ ay ” commute into “ yai ” and “ yi ” in spelling and pronunciation , but we ’ve seen many uses of this phrase throughout pop finish , all of which obviously have some impact on how the common man uses and spell the phrase . It come out in a number of Spanish / Mexican songs , and this author remembers hearing it as a tyke from the Power Ranger characterAlpha 5 , who systematically order “ ay yi yi ” during times of distress .
So the bad word is that while it ’s widely admit that the phrase crossed the border from Mexico , the rest of the details are unfortunately rather vague and up for debate . The dependable news program is that it means you’re able to feel free to spell it however you desire .
