Ìwà awó ní ńpe awó lẹ́tù.
Where character shows
Ìpilẹ̀
Ìwà awó ní ńpe awó lẹ́tù.
Ìtumọ̀ ọ̀rọ̀-sí-ọ̀rọ̀
- Ìwà awó the-behaviour of-the-guinea-fowl ní ńpe awó is-what calls the-guinea-fowl lẹ́tù a-guinea-fowl.
Ìtumọ̀ Gẹ̀ẹ́sì
"It is the guinea fowl's behavior that makes one know it as a guinea fowl."
Orísun náà kò dárúkọ ẹni tí ó túmọ̀ rẹ̀.
Ohun tí ó túmọ̀ sí
A creature is identified by how it behaves, not by what it is called.
Ìgbà tí a ń lò ó
Owomoyela: "By their habits shall people be known"
Àkíyèsí lórí ìtumọ̀
Awó and ẹtù are both words for guinea fowl, so the Yorùbá sentence is close to "the guinea fowl's behaviour is what calls a guinea fowl a guinea fowl," and the effect depends on the doubling of the name. English has one word and loses it.