Diversity. It is a word with several meanings and it literally means several things. There are diverse foods, diverse cars, diverse countries and most importantly diverse people. At OU we are not strangers to this type of variety. Over 1,600 international students attend our school each year according to OU's admissions Web site. The vast majority of them speak at least two languages and some even more than that. But what exactly are they saying to each other?

Here are a few phrases that may just tickle your fancy as well as enrich your cultural awareness.

Igbo (Nigeria)- Isi ba kwage (isy bah qwa gay) - Your head will break. - Osi Aken Ova, business economics freshman.

Ga (Ghana) - Aba na bo (short o) - I will see you. - David Acquaye, mechanical engineering senior.

Turkish (Turkey)- Gãzlerin çoh gozel (guz lehren cholk gozell) - You have beautiful eyes. - Mahmet Saracoglu, English CESEL.

Ordu (Pakistan)- Mere jigar ke tukre (meer jig ar kay tookray) - You are a  piece of my liver. (Grandparents say this lovingly to their grandchildren) - Samar Aijaz, psychology freshman.

Portuguese (Angola)- Mais val un paj passaro nas maçs que dois a voarem (may vah oohn pa pasaro nah mayos kay dos ah vor em) - Better to have one bird in hand then two flying in the air. - Denny Freire, English CESEL.

Yoruba (Nigeria)- Nnkan ti oni je, ma fi run imu (enkah tee ony jay, ma fee runh imoo)- Don't smell what you wouldn't eat. - Keyinde Adesoye, mechanical engineering senior.

Japanese (Japan)-  - Dareka eigo o hanasemasuka? (dah-reh-kah Ay goh oh hahnah she moss kah) - Patrick Terry, East Asian studies senior.
    
Arabic (Written in English-Lebanon)- Toob ill jarah ah timah, tooleet (tull light) ill bint la imah. - Put a container on her mouth, she's come out exactly like her mom. - Amanda Halabi, psychology freshman.

Choctaw (Native American)- Am achukma hoke (om achookma ho kay) - I am good. - Mallori Battiest, University College freshman.
 

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