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:  Ìyàwó ọ̀lẹ là á gbà, kò sẹ́ni tó lè gba ọmọ ọ̀lẹ.
Translation: It is only the wife of the lazy man that can be snatched, no one can claim the child of the lazy man.

Postproverbial: Ìyàwó ọlẹ là á gbà, tó bá wuni.
Translation: It is (only) the wife of the lazy man that can be snatched, if one fancies her.
Postproverbial: Ìyàwó ọlẹ là á gbà, kò sẹ́ni tó lè gba ìyàwó alágbára.
Translation: It is only the wife of the lazy man that can be snatched, no one can claim the wife of a powerful man.
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more

Proverb:  Akwa ọmụma ekweghị sị mara nwaanyị ọkpa tịlịtịlị.
Translation: Tying of wrapper has made it difficult to identify a woman with very tiny legs.

Postproverbial: Ndị mekaniik ekweghị sị mara ndị bụ ndị ara.
Translation: The mechanics’ overall makes it hard to differentiate them from mad people.
Postproverbial: Ndị kwaya ekweghị sị mara ndị bụ grajuet.
Translation: The choristers’ regalia makes it difficult to differentiate between them and graduates.
Nigeria (Igbo) Read more

Proverb:  Àgbàtán làá gbọ̀lẹ; bí a d’áṣọ fún un, à á pa á láro.
Translation: A lazy man should be helped completely; when you buy him a cloth, you must also dye it.

Postproverbial: Àgbàtán làá gbọ̀lẹ; bí a bá là ní jà, à á mú u délé.
Translation: The lazy man must be fully supported; when you stop him in a fight, you must escort him to his home.
Postproverbial: Àgbàtán làá gbọ̀lẹ; bí a fún un lóúnjẹ, à á f’ọbẹ̀ síi.
Translation: A lazy man should be helped completely; when you give him food, you must also provide the stew.
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more

Proverb:  Kure kwegava ndokusina mutsubvu.
Translation: A wild dog will go anywhere the mutsubvu fruit tree is found.

Postproverbial: Kure kwabusinessman ndokusina n' anga.
Translation: A business man will go wherever there is a traditional doctor.
Postproverbial: Kure kwe$ ndokusina bond.
Translation: The USD is found where there are bond notes.
Zimbabwe (Shona) 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

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