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:  Àìgbọ́fá là’ń w’òkè, Ifá kan ò sí ní párá.
Translation: Not knowing Ifa philosophy, we gaze up, but the Oracle is not in the rafters.

Postproverbial: Àìgbọ́fá là’ń fọwọ́ gbárí, Ifá ju agbárí lọ.
Translation: Not knowing Ifa philosophy, we crack the brain, but the Oracle is more than sophistry.
Postproverbial: Àìgbọ́fá là’ń w’òkè, kìí ṣe f’ẹ́ni t’ó bá mọ’fá á sọ lá t’orí.
Translation: Not knowing Ifa philosophy, we gaze up, that is not for the initiate who can recite it by rote.
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more

Proverb:  Dedɛɛro chim mo wae vio.
Translation: It is the powerful person’s arrow that can withstand the wind.

Postproverbial: Dedɛɛro chim wo gu m’mo.
Translation: It is the powerful person’s arrow that will kill you.
Postproverbial: Dedɛɛro chim chamma.
Translation: It is the powerful person’s arrow that can cause much harm.
Ghana (Kasem) 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:  W’adaka si aburokyire a, deɛ ɛwɔ mu nyinaa wonim.
Translation: If your possessions are abroad, you know what is yours (wherever it may be).

Postproverbial: W’adaka si aburokyire a, wonsa nka da.
Translation: If your possessions are abroad, you’ve lost them.
Postproverbial: W’adaka si aburokyire a, wo nkyere hɔ kɔ.
Translation: If your possessions are abroad, you’ll definitely go there.
Ghana (Akan) Read more

Proverb:  Bí òkété bá dàgbà tán, omú ọmọ rẹ̀ ní í mu.
Translation: Once a rodent gets old, it sucks its child’s breasts.

Postproverbial: Bí òkété bá dàgbà tán, á d’arúgbó.
Translation: Once a rodent is old, it grows older.
Postproverbial: Bí òkété bá dàgbà tán, èkùrọ́ tó ti tọ́jú ní í máa jẹ.
Translation: Once a rodent is old, it eats its own reserved palm kernels.
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more

Proverb:  Òkèlè àkọ́bù, kìí r’áùn ọbẹ̀.
Translation: The first bolus of a meal, does not lack the full recompense of stew.

Postproverbial: Òkèlè àkọ́bù,ní í sọ̀gangan ilé ìmí. The first bolus of a meal goes straight to the anus.
Translation: Òkèlè àkọ́bù,ní í sọ̀gangan ilé ìmí. The first bolus of a meal goes straight to the anus.
Postproverbial: Òkèlè àkọ́bù, ń máa ń gbóná gan an.
Translation: The first bolus of a meal, is usually steamy hot.
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more