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:  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:  Anaghị eji ahụhụ anya isi.
Translation: You don’t boast with suffering or hardship.

Postproverbial: I ga-asi ahụhụ n’ike agwụla gi?
Translation: Can you tell suffering that you are tired or that you don’t have strength for it?
Postproverbial: Ahụhụ na-enye ọbara.
Translation: Suffering gives blood.
Nigeria (Igbo) Read more

Proverb:  Ibi pẹlẹbẹ ni a ti ń mú ọ̀ọ̀lẹ̀ jẹ.
Translation: It is from the base that one eats a beans pudding.

Postproverbial: Ibi pẹlẹbẹ ni a ti ń mú ọ̀ọ̀lẹ̀ jẹ; wọ́n fi ewé pọ́n ọn ni.
Translation: It is from the base that one eats a beans pudding; if it is wrapped in leaves.
Postproverbial: Ibi góńgó ni a ti ń mú ọ̀ọ̀lẹ̀ jẹ.
Translation: It is from the apex that one eats a beans pudding.
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more

Proverb:  Àìsí nílé olóógbò, ilé d’ilé èkúté.
Translation: The cat is not in the house, the home becomes the playground of rats.

Postproverbial: Àìsí nílé olóógbò, ló ún mú èkúté ṣakọ.
Translation: The cat is not in the house, the mouse struts about.
Postproverbial: Àìsí nílé olóógbò, ló mú èkúté jọba ní “kínsínnì”.
Translation: The cat is not in the house, and the mouse becomes king in the kitchen.
Nigeria (Yoruba) 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