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 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:  Kwɛɛra kandɛ, mo kaare yuu.
Translation: It is the stone thrown in jest that causes injury to the head.

Postproverbial: Kwɛɛra kandɛ, mage daane mo.
Translation: It is (the) stones thrown in jest that hit (against) each other.
Postproverbial: Kwɛɛra kandɛ, ko lɔi kambi mo.
Translation: It is the stone thrown in jest that breaks the (earthenware) pots.
Ghana (Kasem) Read more

Proverb:  Alalaye usimwamshe, ukimwamsha utalala wewe.
Translation: Don't awake one who is asleep; if you awaken him/her, you too will fall asleep.

Postproverbial: Alalaye huamka mapema.
Translation: One who sleeps usually awakes early.
Postproverbial: Alalaye usimuamshe, ukimuamsha atapoteza usingizi.
Translation: Don't awaken one who is asleep; if you awaken him/her, he/she will lose the sleep.
East Africa (Kiswahili) Read more

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:  Ko na maŋe ko pa mo, mo boŋe we mo mo yei banzure.
Translation: When things go well for you, you think it is because you know how to marry well.

Postproverbial: Ko na maŋe ko pa mo, ye pa se ko gyi pimpaala.
Translation: When things go well for you, do not turn it into a boast.
Postproverbial: Ko na maŋe ko pa mo, ko lamma.
Translation: When things go well for you, it is good.
Ghana (Kasem) 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