1. Oluwa sanu mi! (Yoruba for God have mercy upon me). If you’ve been with me for any length of time, the chances that I’ll say it 5 times in 10mins is 100%. 
I smile now as I had not realised it until several people pointed it out to me…It has become habit.
What am I thinking of when this word comes out? I more often than not need to be helped. I’m writing code and I come across a snag and cannot continue “Oluwa Sanu mi”. I have a tight deadline to meet “Oluwa sanu mi”, I’m running late for lunch, “Oluwa sanu mi”, I’m thinking about my daughter “Oluwa sanu mi”. Well, well…I need His mercy and grace for life, don’t you think?
2. Father of Light – this falls into my list of once-upon-a-time words. Suffice to say it has been displaced by Number 1. A bunkmate of mine once told me she thought I belonged to the Eckancker (sorry how is that spelt) sect because the first time I met her, I must have uttered the word several times in a short space of time. I wonder what sect I’ll be thought to belong now that I say “Oluwa sanu mi” lol!
3. Sebi, Nowwww, Nko and the latest addition Yessoooo! My Yoruba-English words that serve purpose all the time. Used to emphasise certain words and phrases and the last an emphatic affirmation to any question, these are handy and short-cuts to ‘big grammer’. Disgraceful now that I think of the fact that I’ve added these words to my daughters vocabulary! I must say them a lot.
03/02/2010 at 5:14 pm Permalink
Can imagine Lase saying oluwa sanu mi, that will be hilarious…Father of light, amazing I dont have the same often repeated words as you. D put oluwa b’esu wi in my mouth but since we have not been together for sometime I do not say it as much:)
03/03/2010 at 8:46 pm Permalink
lol… This reminded me of one of my favorite phrases in my college days… “Oloun gba mi o”!! lol! I said it all the time. I couldn’t stop laughing when one day something crazy happened and my Canadian friend yelled “Olowu ba mi o”! …lol…good stuff.