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:  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:  Mo na kwɛɛre de m’bɔɔlo bu, o wo gya mo pene a ma wu wua mo.
Translation: If you play with your lover’s child, s/he will use your penis as a whistle.

Postproverbial: Mo na kwɛɛre de m’bɔɔlo bu, o wo gya m’tɔna mo.
Translation: If you play with your lover’s child, he/she will pull your beard.
Postproverbial: Mo na kwɛɛre de m’bɔɔlo bu, o wo mae o gyeŋa o chu m’yi mo.
Translation: If you play with your lover’s child, he/she will use the finger to poke your eye.
Ghana (Kasem) Read more

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:  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:  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:  Boŋo tu na tere sɔŋɔ ne, ko lure bubala mo.
Translation: When the owner of a goat is absent, it gives birth to only males.

Postproverbial: Boŋo tu na tere sɔŋɔ ne, ko wo gyei mo.
Translation: When the owner of a goat is absent, it will get lost.
Postproverbial: Boŋo tu na tere sɔŋɔ ne, ko ba zuura diga.
Translation: When the owner of a goat is absent, it does not return to the goat pen.
Ghana (Kasem) Read more