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:  “Mai zan yi da abinda ya gagare wuta,” inji kishiyar konania.
Translation: “I have no business with a fire fighter,” says the co-wife of a burnt woman.

Postproverbial: “Ba ruwana da asibiti,” inji kishiyar mai korona.
Translation: “I have no business with the hospital,” says the co-wife of a corona patient.
Postproverbial: “Mai zan yi da abinda ya gagare wuta,” inji kishiyar mai korona.
Translation: “I have no business with a fire fighter,” says the co-wife of a corona patient.
Africa (COVID-19) Read more

Proverb:  Ọbẹ̀ tó dùn, owó ló pa á.
Translation: The delicious stew, is made possible by cash.

Postproverbial: Ọbẹ̀ tó dùn, mummy ló sè é.
Translation: The delicious stew, is prepared by mother.
Postproverbial: Ọbẹ̀ tó dùn, owó Ọlọ́pàá!
Translation: The delicious stew, the policeman’s wealth!
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more

Proverb:  Ẹni tó gbódó mì, ìdúró kò sí, ìbere kò sí.
Translation: [For] he who swallows a mortar or pestle, there is no rest, neither standing nor stooping.

Postproverbial: Ẹni tó gbódó mì, kò lè di ọjọ́ kejì.
Translation: He who swallows a mortar or pestle, will not survive the second day.
Postproverbial: Ẹni tó gbódó mì, kò ní jẹ́ ká r’íyán jẹ.
Translation: He who swallows a mortar or pestle, causes us to lose the chance of eating pounded yam.
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more

Proverb:  Bí òkété bá dàgbà tán, omú ọmọ rẹ̀ ní í mu.
Translation: Once a rodent gets old, it sucks its child’s breasts.

Postproverbial: Bí òkété bá dàgbà tán, á d’arúgbó.
Translation: Once a rodent is old, it grows older.
Postproverbial: Bí òkété bá dàgbà tán, èkùrọ́ tó ti tọ́jú ní í máa jẹ.
Translation: Once a rodent is old, it eats its own reserved palm kernels.
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:  Yɛde akyire gya wo a, ɛnka wo nko.
Translation: If we leave you as caretaker you are not regarded as being alone.

Postproverbial: Yɛde akyire gya wo a, hwɛ ne yie.
Translation: If we leave you as caretaker, be diligent.
Postproverbial: Yɛde akyire gya wo a, hwɛ so yie.
Translation: If we leave you as caretaker, it is a huge responsibility.
Ghana (Akan) Read more