Welcome to Postproverbial Community

What then is a postproverbial, or to address the form in the plural sense, what are postproverbials? Postproverbials are radicalized proverbial utterances which subvert the logic and the pattern of conventional proverbs...

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SOME RANDOM PROVERBS & THEIR POSTPROVERBIALS

Proverb:  Boŋo tu na tere sɔŋɔ ne, ko lure bubala mo.
Translation: When the owner of a goat is absent, it gives birth to only males.

Postproverbial: Boŋo tu na tere sɔŋɔ ne, ko wo gyei mo.
Translation: When the owner of a goat is absent, it will get lost.
Postproverbial: Boŋo tu na tere sɔŋɔ ne, ko ba zuura diga.
Translation: When the owner of a goat is absent, it does not return to the goat pen.
Ghana (Kasem) Read more

Proverb:  Bí òkété bá dàgbà tán, omú ọmọ rẹ̀ ní í mu.
Translation: Once a rodent gets old, it sucks its child’s breasts.

Postproverbial: Bí òkété bá dàgbà tán, á d’arúgbó.
Translation: Once a rodent is old, it grows older.
Postproverbial: Bí òkété bá dàgbà tán, èkùrọ́ tó ti tọ́jú ní í máa jẹ.
Translation: Once a rodent is old, it eats its own reserved palm kernels.
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more

Proverb:  Deɛ ɔso twene kɛseɛ nni biribi a, ɔwɔ awerɛkyekyerɛ.
Translation: If he who carries the big drum has nothing else, he has condolences.

Postproverbial: Deɛ ɔso twene kɛseɛ nni biribi a, ɔwɔ akokoɔduro.
Translation: He who carries the big drum is brave.
Postproverbial: Deɛ ɔso twene kɛseɛ nni biribi a, ɔwɔ kakyire.
Translation: He who carries a big drum has a pad to cushion his shoulders.
Ghana (Akan) Read more

Proverb:  À kúkú ù joyè, ó sàn ju “enu mi ò ká ìlú”.
Translation: Better not to be made a chief, than to say “I am incapable of controlling my people”.

Postproverbial: À kúkú ù joyè, kò sówó lọ́wọ́ baba ni.
Translation: If one is not made a chief, it is out of lack of money and wealth.
Postproverbial: À kúkú ù joyè, a ó ṣá à j’ẹ̀bà.
Translation: If one is not made a chief, at least you will eat and survive.
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more

Proverb:  ɔpanin fɛre ne ba, na ɔnsuro no.
Translation: An elder respects his child but does not fear the child.

Postproverbial: ɔpanin fɛre ne ba, na ɔdɔ no.
Translation: An elder respects his child then s/he loves the child.
Postproverbial: ɔpanin fɛre ne ba, asɛm to no.
Translation: An elder respects his child, s/he courts trouble.
Ghana (Akan) Read more

Proverb:  Ibi pẹlẹbẹ ni a ti ń mú ọ̀ọ̀lẹ̀ jẹ.
Translation: It is from the base that one eats a beans pudding.

Postproverbial: Ibi pẹlẹbẹ ni a ti ń mú ọ̀ọ̀lẹ̀ jẹ; wọ́n fi ewé pọ́n ọn ni.
Translation: It is from the base that one eats a beans pudding; if it is wrapped in leaves.
Postproverbial: Ibi góńgó ni a ti ń mú ọ̀ọ̀lẹ̀ jẹ.
Translation: It is from the apex that one eats a beans pudding.
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more