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:  Simba mwenda pole/kimya ndiye mla nyama.
Translation: The lion that moves silently is the one that eats meat.

Postproverbial: Simba mwenda pole/kafungwa na/au anamuogopa Yanga.
Translation: The lion that moves silently has been beaten by or is afraid of Yanga.
Postproverbial: Simba mwenda pole/kimya jua iko gonjwa au haina njaa.
Translation: The lion that moves silently is either sick or not hungry.
East Africa (Kiswahili) Read more

Proverb:  Ba di ba vana mo, se ba ba tɛa ba vana.
Translation: We exclude others when we eat food, but we do not exclude them when we talk about issues.

Postproverbial: Ba di ba vana mo, a gyei a nia.
Translation: We exclude others when we eat food, I am sitting down and watching.
Postproverbial: Ba di ba vana mo, a gyei a nia.
Translation: We exclude others when we eat food, I am looking on.
Ghana (Kasem) Read more

Proverb:  À kúkú ù joyè, ó sàn ju “enu mi ò ká ìlú”.
Translation: Better not to be made a chief, than to say “I am incapable of controlling my people”.

Postproverbial: À kúkú ù joyè, kò sówó lọ́wọ́ baba ni.
Translation: If one is not made a chief, it is out of lack of money and wealth.
Postproverbial: À kúkú ù joyè, a ó ṣá à j’ẹ̀bà.
Translation: If one is not made a chief, at least you will eat and survive.
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more

Proverb:  Baabi aburopata wɔ no, ɛhɔ na akokɔ bɔ mprɛ korɔ.
Translation: Wherever the cornshed stands, there the chicken moves around.

Postproverbial: Baabi aburopata wɔ no, yɛ sɔ gya wɔ hɔ.
Translation: Wherever the cornshed stands, fire is kindled.
Postproverbial: Baabi aburopata wɔ no, ɔmo mpa hɔ da.
Translation: Wherever the cornshed stands, you will always find rice.
Ghana (Akan) Read more

Proverb:  A ma ka ọchịchịrị agbala, utu ga-ahụrịrị etu o siri ba n’ọtụ.
Translation: No matter how dark the night may get, penis must find its way into the vagina.

Postproverbial: A ma ka ọkọchị adịla, ọtụ ga na-asarịrị utu ahụ.
Translation: No matter how severe the dry season may get, the vagina must bathe the penis.
Postproverbial: A ma ka moto ejuna, efe ga-adịrịrị n’oche draịva.
Translation: No matter how filled a vehicle may get, there must be a space at the driver’s seat.
Nigeria (Igbo) 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