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:  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:  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:  Orí la fi ń’mẹ́ran láwo.
Translation: With the head (luck), we pick the good meat in the stew.

Postproverbial: Ọwọ́ la fi ń’mẹ́ran láwo.
Translation: With the hands (touch), we pick the good meat in the stew.
Postproverbial: Ojú la fi ń’mẹ́ran láwo.
Translation: With the eyes (senses), we pick the good meat in the stew.
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

Proverb:  Kure kwegava ndokusina mutsubvu.
Translation: A wild dog will go anywhere the mutsubvu fruit tree is found.

Postproverbial: Kure kwabusinessman ndokusina n' anga.
Translation: A business man will go wherever there is a traditional doctor.
Postproverbial: Kure kwe$ ndokusina bond.
Translation: The USD is found where there are bond notes.
Zimbabwe (Shona) 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