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:  Ẹni tó gbépo lájà kò jalè bí eni tí ó gbà á síle.
Translation: He who steals the palm oil from the rafters is no less a thief than his accomplice.

Postproverbial: Ẹni tó gbépo lájà, olè paraku ni.
Translation: He who steals the palm oil from the rafters is a certified thief.
Postproverbial: Ẹni tó gbépo lájà fẹ́ sebẹ̀ ni.
Translation: He who steals the palm oil from the rafters (certainly) desires to cook.
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more

Proverb:  Abofra yɛ deɛ yenyɛ a, ɔhunu deɛ yɛnhunu.
Translation: If a child does what is not done, then he sees what should not be seen.

Postproverbial: Abofra yɛ deɛ yenyɛ a, yɛ de aba bɔ no.
Translation: If a child does what is not done, s/he is caned.
Postproverbial: Abofra yɛ deɛ yenyɛ a, yɛ tea no.
Translation: If a child does what is not done, s/he is disciplined.
Ghana (Akan) Read more

Proverb:  Mmaa dodoo kunu wu a, na ɛkɔm na aku no.
Translation: When a man with numerous wives dies, it is hunger that has killed him.

Postproverbial: Mmaa dodoo kunu wu a, yɛn sae ne buo.
Translation: When a man with numerous wives dies, we don’t destroy his [tomb]stone.
Postproverbial: Mmaa dodoo kunu wu a, asɛm ba fie.
Translation: When a man with numerous wives dies, it foments trouble.
Ghana (Akan) Read more

Proverb:  Ẹni tó gbódó mì, ìdúró kò sí, ìbere kò sí.
Translation: [For] he who swallows a mortar or pestle, there is no rest, neither standing nor stooping.

Postproverbial: Ẹni tó gbódó mì, kò lè di ọjọ́ kejì.
Translation: He who swallows a mortar or pestle, will not survive the second day.
Postproverbial: Ẹni tó gbódó mì, kò ní jẹ́ ká r’íyán jẹ.
Translation: He who swallows a mortar or pestle, causes us to lose the chance of eating pounded yam.
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more

Proverb:  Akwana a tashi, watarana sai labara.
Translation: Day in day out, all shall be history.

Postproverbial: Akwana atashi, dan primary dan NYSC ne.
Translation: Day in day out, a primary pupil shall be a corper.
Postproverbial: Akwana a tashi, watarana yaro amgo ne.
Translation: Day in day out, a child shall be a groom.
Nigeria (Hausa) Read more

Proverb:  Ọbẹ̀ tó dùn, owó ló pa á.
Translation: The delicious stew, is made possible by cash.

Postproverbial: Ọbẹ̀ tó dùn, mummy ló sè é.
Translation: The delicious stew, is prepared by mother.
Postproverbial: Ọbẹ̀ tó dùn, owó Ọlọ́pàá!
Translation: The delicious stew, the policeman’s wealth!
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more