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:  Àpọ́nlé ni Ìyá Káà, kò sẹ́ni tó wà ní Káà tí ò lórúkọ.
Translation: It’s a sheer honour to be called “Court Matriarch”, there’s no woman who does not have a proper name.

Postproverbial: Àpọ́nlé ni ọmọ Lèmọ́mù, kò s'ẹ́ni tí a kò lè mú.
Translation: It’s a sheer honour to be called “son of Imam”, there is no one who cannot be caught.
Postproverbial: Àpọ́nlé ni fọ́maànù, ẹnì kan kì í jẹ́ èèyàn mẹ́rin.
Translation: It’s sheer honour to be called “Foreman”, no one person can bear the names of four men.
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more

Proverb:  ɔbaa ne ne kunu asɛm, obi nnim mu.
Translation: [As for] a woman and her husband’s affairs, one does not know.

Postproverbial: ɔbaa ne ne kunu asɛm, osugyani nka bi.
Translation: [As for] a woman and her husband’s affairs, bachelors do not meddle.
Postproverbial: ɔbaa ne ne kunu asɛm, obi nka bi.
Translation: [As for] a woman and her husband’s affairs, nobody can say anything about it.
Ghana (Akan) Read more

Proverb:  Gàǹbàrí pa Fúlàní, kò lẹ́jọ́ nínú.
Translation: If the Hausaman kills the Fulani, it is not actionable.

Postproverbial: Gàǹbàrí pa Fúlàní, kí Ibadan ṣá mà ti bàjẹ́.
Translation: Let the Hausaman kill the Fulani, as long as Ibadan is not in turmoil.
Postproverbial: Gàǹbàrí pa Fúlàní, á sun àtìmọ́lé.
Translation: If the Hausaman kills the Fulani, he will be imprisoned.
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more

Proverb:  Àgbàtán làá gbọ̀lẹ; bí a d’áṣọ fún un, à á pa á láro.
Translation: A lazy man should be helped completely; when you buy him a cloth, you must also dye it.

Postproverbial: Àgbàtán làá gbọ̀lẹ; bí a bá là ní jà, à á mú u délé.
Translation: The lazy man must be fully supported; when you stop him in a fight, you must escort him to his home.
Postproverbial: Àgbàtán làá gbọ̀lẹ; bí a fún un lóúnjẹ, à á f’ọbẹ̀ síi.
Translation: A lazy man should be helped completely; when you give him food, you must also provide the stew.
Nigeria (Yoruba) 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:  ɔpanin fɛre ne ba, na ɔnsuro no.
Translation: An elder respects his child but does not fear the child.

Postproverbial: ɔpanin fɛre ne ba, na ɔdɔ no.
Translation: An elder respects his child then s/he loves the child.
Postproverbial: ɔpanin fɛre ne ba, asɛm to no.
Translation: An elder respects his child, s/he courts trouble.
Ghana (Akan) Read more