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:  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:  Gya m’wɛ n’tu, se m’yage lam.
Translation: Come down with good fortune rather than beauty.

Postproverbial: Gya m’wɛ n’tu, ko gara mo na gyege nɔɔna.
Translation: Come down with good fortune, it is better than having people.
Postproverbial: Gya m’wɛ n’tu, n’gya wɛ n’lei.
Translation: Come down with good fortune “and tie up time” (so that you can enjoy your good fortune).
Ghana (Kasem) Read more

Proverb:  Màlúù tí kò ní’rù, Olúwa níí bá a léṣinṣin.
Translation: As for the cow that has no tail, God is its repellant against flies.

Postproverbial: Màlúù tí kò ní’rù, ó wà ní Òyìngbò.
Translation: The cow that has no tail is available in Òyìngbò.
Postproverbial: Màlúù tí kò ní’rù, ó wà ní Òjé.
Translation: The cow that has no tail is available in Òjé.
Nigeria (Yoruba) 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

Proverb:  Akwa ọmụma ekweghị sị mara nwaanyị ọkpa tịlịtịlị.
Translation: Tying of wrapper has made it difficult to identify a woman with very tiny legs.

Postproverbial: Ndị mekaniik ekweghị sị mara ndị bụ ndị ara.
Translation: The mechanics’ overall makes it hard to differentiate them from mad people.
Postproverbial: Ndị kwaya ekweghị sị mara ndị bụ grajuet.
Translation: The choristers’ regalia makes it difficult to differentiate between them and graduates.
Nigeria (Igbo) 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