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...

Humboldt University of Berlin logo
University of Ibadan logo
Avh logo

SOME RANDOM PROVERBS & THEIR POSTPROVERBIALS

Proverb:  ɔbaa brefoɔ kɔ aware a, ɔde ade pa ba fie.
Translation: If a hardworking woman marries, she brings good things home.

Postproverbial: ɔbaa brefoɔ kɔ aware a, onya adepa.
Translation: If a hardworking woman marries, she gets good things/finds it profitable.
Postproverbial: ɔbaa brefoɔ kɔ aware a, ne kunu mmre.
Translation: If a hardworking woman marries, her husband doesn’t suffer.
Ghana (Akan) Read more

Proverb:  Ilé Ọba tó jó, ẹwà ló bù kún un.
Translation: The palace that is burnt will make a more magnificent edifice.

Postproverbial: Ilé Ọba tó jó, àìní ‘fire extinguisher’ ló fàá.
Translation: The palace that is burnt is caused by the lack of fire extinguisher.
Postproverbial: Ilé Ọba tó jó, wọ́n da 'pẹtiróòlù' sí i ni.
Translation: The palace that is burnt must have been doused with petrol.
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more

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:  Mmaa dodoo kunu wu a, na ɛkɔm na aku no.
Translation: When a man with numerous wives dies, it is hunger that has killed him.

Postproverbial: Mmaa dodoo kunu wu a, yɛn sae ne buo.
Translation: When a man with numerous wives dies, we don’t destroy his [tomb]stone.
Postproverbial: Mmaa dodoo kunu wu a, asɛm ba fie.
Translation: When a man with numerous wives dies, it foments trouble.
Ghana (Akan) Read more

Proverb:  Àgbájọ ọwọ́ la fi ń’sọ àyà.
Translation: [With] All fingers clenched to fist, we beat the chest in solidarity.

Postproverbial: Àgbájọ ọwọ́ la fi ń’sọ àyà; l’áyée kòró kọ̀ọ́.
Translation: [With] All fingers clenched to fist, we beat the chest in solidarity; not in the age of coronavirus.
Postproverbial: Àgbájọ ọwọ́ la fi ń’wẹ ọwọ́.
Translation: [With] All fingers clenched to fist, we wash (the hands) to cleanliness.
Africa (COVID-19) 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