hey Joe
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English[edit]
Alternative forms[edit]
Etymology[edit]
See Hey and Joe as in G.I. Joe or average Joe. As part of leftover street slang speech from WW2 times to call out to random American G.I.s (soldiers) in the Philippines.
Pronunciation[edit]
- (Philippine) IPA(key): /ˌhɛɪ̯ ˈd͡ʒoʊ/
Interjection[edit]
- (Philippines, informal) An expression to catch the attention of a white male Caucasian foreigner in the Philippines, especially white male Americans and historically American soldiers in the Philippines during WW2
- Hey, Joe! What's up, man?! Up here!
- Hey, white (American) dude! How are you?! High five!
- 1999, Ted Lerner, Hey, Joe: A Slice of the City, an American in Manila--[1], Book of Dreams, →ISBN:
- "Hey, Joe, you like snake?" "Hey, Joe, welcome to Tondo!" "Hey, Joe, what's your name?" It's the phrase that greets every foreign guy in the Philippines on a daily basis. And perhaps nobody personifies the meaning of this moniker better than Ted Lerner, an American whose popular, freewheeling column, "Hey, Joe," has been entertaining readers in the Philippines and overseas for nearly 15 years. In "Hey, Joe," Ted presents a collection of his best Manila stories, a kaleidoscope of funny and bizarre incidents, offbeat characters and keen observations dished up by a wide-eyed foreigner living in a city exploding with life, unfathomable urban chaos and a story around every corner. Readers will hitch a ride with the author and spend a night at the cock fights - the Philippines' violent and gentlemanly national pastime. Walk through bustling, colorful markets that turn the senses on full blast. Experience the harrowing thrill of riding a bicycle through some of the world's worst and wildest traffic. Visit a secretive girlie-bar reserved mainly for foreigners. […]
- 2007, Michael S. Gerber, Sweet Teeth and Loose Bowels: The Adventures of an International Aid Worker[2], Troubador Publishing Ltd, →ISBN, page 46:
- […] The game actually helped me graduate from “Hey Joe” to “Hey Mike.” Along with the jeepney, another remnant left over from the Second World War was "Hey Joe." Filipino kids, from the time they could speak through their teenage years called any white male stranger walking down the road either “Hey Joe” or “Kano, Kano.” American soldiers in the war were referred to as “G.I. Joes.” In 1970, twenty-five years after it ended, all unknown white males were still “Hey Joe.” It did not matter if one was Swedish, German, English, Italian, or Greek, it was “Hey Joe” or “Kano.” With basketball, at least in the region where we lived, for me it was now “Hey Mike.” Today, in 2007, the “Hey Joe” greeting no longer seems to be in vogue. It has not been passed on to the new generation of youngsters. A white stranger can walk around without causing any stir at all. […]
- 2012, Duncan Alexander McKenzie, The Unlucky Country: The Republic of the Philippines in the 21st Century[3], BalboaPress, →ISBN, page 13:
- […] As a foreigner in the Philippines, one is downright conspicuous. If from the West, whether because one is usually taller than the average Filipino, or whiter, and has a “long nose”, the foreigner stands out and will attract a lot of attention, especially in the provincial areas. During the Second World War American troops were stationed in the Philippines. The individual American forces conscript was referred to as 'G.I. Joe' and the name seems to have stuck, with every foreigner visiting the Philippines likely at one time or another being greeted with a Filipino calling out “Hey Joe” as he haplessly walks by. Then he wonders if he does in fact know this Filipino who is calling out to him, and perhaps got his name mixed up. The foreigner could simply reply with a “Hey Jose” if one felt so inclined. For some foreigners this “Hey Joe” greeting is considered a term of endearment, a friendly greeting, and a welcome. For other foreigners it is considered impolite and offensive. In addition to “Hi Joe!” or “Hey Joe!” one also is subject to other questions, asked in a fake American accent, such as “What's up, man?”, or some other banal question that attempts to typify American conversation. I have traveled to many parts of the Philippines and am amazed at how widespread this custom of calling out to foreigners is. […]