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:  Deɛ anyɛ yie, yɛmfa nka asɛm.
Translation: When something does not turn out well, we don’t use it to talk about other things.

Postproverbial: Deɛ anyɛ yie, na saa na ɛbɛ yɛ.
Translation: When something does not/has not worked out well, there is no way to salvage failure.
Postproverbial: Deɛ anyɛ yie, ne sumina so.
Translation: When something does not/has not worked out well, it is to be found on the rubbish dump.
Ghana (Akan) Read more

Proverb:  A ma ka ọchịchịrị agbala, utu ga-ahụrịrị etu o siri ba n’ọtụ.
Translation: No matter how dark the night may get, penis must find its way into the vagina.

Postproverbial: A ma ka ọkọchị adịla, ọtụ ga na-asarịrị utu ahụ.
Translation: No matter how severe the dry season may get, the vagina must bathe the penis.
Postproverbial: A ma ka moto ejuna, efe ga-adịrịrị n’oche draịva.
Translation: No matter how filled a vehicle may get, there must be a space at the driver’s seat.
Nigeria (Igbo) 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:  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:  Polepole ndio mwendo.
Translation: Slowly slowly is the movement of life.

Postproverbial: Pole pole yachelewesha.
Translation: Slowly causes a delay.
Postproverbial: Mwendo wa kinyonga na konokono ndio mwendo wa maisha.
Translation: The movement of a snail and a chameleon are movements of life.
East Africa (Kiswahili) Read more

Proverb:  Màlúù tí kò ní’rù, Olúwa níí bá a léṣinṣin.
Translation: As for the cow that has no tail, God is its repellant against flies.

Postproverbial: Màlúù tí kò ní’rù, ó wà ní Òyìngbò.
Translation: The cow that has no tail is available in Òyìngbò.
Postproverbial: Màlúù tí kò ní’rù, ó wà ní Òjé.
Translation: The cow that has no tail is available in Òjé.
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more