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:  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:  Ọbẹ̀ tó dùn, owó ló pa á.
Translation: The delicious stew, is made possible by cash.

Postproverbial: Ọbẹ̀ tó dùn, mummy ló sè é.
Translation: The delicious stew, is prepared by mother.
Postproverbial: Ọbẹ̀ tó dùn, owó Ọlọ́pàá!
Translation: The delicious stew, the policeman’s wealth!
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more

Proverb:  Gya m’wɛ n’tu, se m’yage lam.
Translation: Come down with good fortune rather than beauty.

Postproverbial: Gya m’wɛ n’tu, ko gara mo na gyege nɔɔna.
Translation: Come down with good fortune, it is better than having people.
Postproverbial: Gya m’wɛ n’tu, n’gya wɛ n’lei.
Translation: Come down with good fortune “and tie up time” (so that you can enjoy your good fortune).
Ghana (Kasem) Read more

Proverb:  Ẹni tó jìn sí kòtò, ó kọ́ ará ìyókù lọ́gbọ́n.
Translation: He who falls into the pit serves as a scapegoat to others.

Postproverbial: Ẹni tó jìn sí kòtò, kò wo ibi tó ń lọ ni.
Translation: He who falls into the pit is probably unconscious of where he’s going.
Postproverbial: Ẹni tó jìn sí kòtò, ó fẹ́ dí kòtò ni.
Translation: He who falls into the pit is eager to fill the pit.
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:  Aban bɛgu a, ɛfiri yam.
Translation: If the state is going to be destroyed, it is from the inside (the stomach).

Postproverbial: Aban bɛgu a, kokoromoti na yɛde tu no.
Translation: A government is changed through the ballot box.
Postproverbial: Aban bɛgu a, efiri ne ndwuma.
Translation: If a government is going to fall, it is from its performance.
Ghana (Akan) Read more