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:  Baabi aburopata wɔ no, ɛhɔ na akokɔ bɔ mprɛ korɔ.
Translation: Wherever the cornshed stands, there the chicken moves around.

Postproverbial: Baabi aburopata wɔ no, yɛ sɔ gya wɔ hɔ.
Translation: Wherever the cornshed stands, fire is kindled.
Postproverbial: Baabi aburopata wɔ no, ɔmo mpa hɔ da.
Translation: Wherever the cornshed stands, you will always find rice.
Ghana (Akan) Read more

Proverb:  Kò sí ẹni tí kìí rẹ̀.
Translation: There is no one who is never exhausted.

Postproverbial: Kò sí ẹni tí kìí rẹ̀, àyàfi Ọlọ́run.
Translation: There is no one who is never exhausted, except God.
Postproverbial: Kò sí ẹni tí kìí rẹ̀, ó rẹ mọ́sálásí, ó di ilé epo. Ó rẹ wọ́dà, ó kó owó ìjọba jẹ.
Translation: There is no one who is never exhausted, the mosque tires, it becomes a gas station; the warder tires, he embezzles the state fund.
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more

Proverb:  Nayɔŋɔ bane na zaŋ, o wo di tio.
Translation: If a leper gets angry, s/he can climb a tree.

Postproverbial: Sana na gane nayɔŋɔ, ko we ko wo wane ko di tio.
Translation: When alcohol deceives a leper, s/he says s/he can climb a tree.
Postproverbial: Nayɔŋɔ bane na zaŋ, ko wo duli kandwa mo.
Translation: If a leper gets angry, s/he will throw stones.
Ghana (Kasem) Read more

Proverb:  Simba mwenda pole/kimya ndiye mla nyama.
Translation: The lion that moves silently is the one that eats meat.

Postproverbial: Simba mwenda pole/kafungwa na/au anamuogopa Yanga.
Translation: The lion that moves silently has been beaten by or is afraid of Yanga.
Postproverbial: Simba mwenda pole/kimya jua iko gonjwa au haina njaa.
Translation: The lion that moves silently is either sick or not hungry.
East Africa (Kiswahili) Read more

Proverb:  Àgbájọ ọwọ́ la fi ń’sọ àyà.
Translation: [With] All fingers clenched to fist, we beat the chest in solidarity.

Postproverbial: Àgbájọ ọwọ́ la fi ń’sọ àyà; l’áyée kòró kọ̀ọ́.
Translation: [With] All fingers clenched to fist, we beat the chest in solidarity; not in the age of coronavirus.
Postproverbial: Àgbájọ ọwọ́ la fi ń’wẹ ọwọ́.
Translation: [With] All fingers clenched to fist, we wash (the hands) to cleanliness.
Africa (COVID-19) Read more

Proverb:  ɔbaa brefoɔ kɔ aware a, ɔde ade pa ba fie.
Translation: If a hardworking woman marries, she brings good things home.

Postproverbial: ɔbaa brefoɔ kɔ aware a, onya adepa.
Translation: If a hardworking woman marries, she gets good things/finds it profitable.
Postproverbial: ɔbaa brefoɔ kɔ aware a, ne kunu mmre.
Translation: If a hardworking woman marries, her husband doesn’t suffer.
Ghana (Akan) Read more