Postproverbial | Twisted and hybrid speech acts

SOME RANDOM PROVERBS & THEIR POSTPROVERBIALS

Proverb: Ẹni tó gbódó mì, ìdúró kò sí, ìbere kò sí.
Translation: [For] he who swallows a mortar or pestle, there is no rest, neither standing nor stooping.

Postproverbial: Ẹni tó gbódó mì, kò lè di ọjọ́ kejì.
Translation: He who swallows a mortar or pestle, will not survive the second day.

Postproverbial: Ẹni tó gbódó mì, kò ní jẹ́ ká r’íyán jẹ.
Translation: He who swallows a mortar or pestle, causes us to lose the chance of eating pounded yam.

Nigeria (Yoruba) 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

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: 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: Ọmọ tó ní ìyá òun kò ní sùn, òun náà kò ní fi ojú kan oorun.
Translation: A child who will not allow his mother to rest will himself stay awake.

Postproverbial: Ọmọ tó ní ìyá òun kò ní sùn, orun ni kò kùn ún.
Translation: A child who will not allow his mother to rest must be insomniac.

Postproverbial: Ọmọ tó ní ìyá òun kò ní sùn, à á fún un ní “Valium”.
Translation: A child who will not allow his mother to rest should be administered with valium.

Nigeria (Yoruba) 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

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SOME RANDOM PROVERBS & THEIR POSTPROVERBIALS