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...

Humboldt University of Berlin logo
University of Ibadan logo
Avh logo

SOME RANDOM PROVERBS & THEIR POSTPROVERBIALS

Proverb:  Ará oko tí yò jẹ búrẹ́dì, ó gbọ́dọ̀ fi làgìdì tọrọ ná.
Translation: The villager who will eat bread, must send the gift of palm-waste lighter.

Postproverbial: Ará oko tí yò jẹ búrẹ́dì, ó ní láti wá sílé.
Translation: The villager who will eat bread, must come to town.
Postproverbial: Ará oko tí yò jẹ búrẹ́dì, ó má a f’ẹsẹ̀ kan dé “békírì”.
Translation: The villager who will eat bread, must take a walk to the bakery.
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more

Proverb:  Wo yire apem a, w’asem apem.
Translation: If you have a thousand wives, you have a thousand troubles.

Postproverbial: Wo yire apem a, wo busa apem.
Translation: If you have a thousand wives, you have a thousand questions to answer.
Postproverbial: Wo yire apem a, wondi ne ma.
Translation: If you have a thousand wives, you won’t benefit from their children.
Ghana (Akan) Read more

Proverb:  Ilé Ọba tó jó, ẹwà ló bù kún un.
Translation: The palace that is burnt will make a more magnificent edifice.

Postproverbial: Ilé Ọba tó jó, àìní ‘fire extinguisher’ ló fàá.
Translation: The palace that is burnt is caused by the lack of fire extinguisher.
Postproverbial: Ilé Ọba tó jó, wọ́n da 'pẹtiróòlù' sí i ni.
Translation: The palace that is burnt must have been doused with petrol.
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more

Proverb:  Àìtètè m’ólè, olè ń m’ólóko.
Translation: In the hesitation to catch the thief, the thief arrests the farmer.

Postproverbial: Àìtètè m’ólè, olè gbọ́n sí i.
Translation: In the hesitation to catch the thief, the thief proves wiser.
Postproverbial: Àìtètè m’ólè, olè ń sálọ.
Translation: In the hesitation to catch the thief, the thief scampers away.
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:  Àgbò tó tà’dí m’ẹ́yìn, agbára ló lọ mú wá.
Translation: The ram that charges backward, readies itself for another onslaught.

Postproverbial: Àgbò tó tà’dí m’ẹ́yìn, ó fẹ́ lọ twerk ni.
Translation: The ram that charges backward, prepares to twerk.
Postproverbial: Àgbò tó tà’dí m’ẹ́yìn, ó fẹ́ lọ ṣubú sí gọ́tà ni.
Translation: The ram that charges backward, prepares to fall in the ditch.
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more