Part 4

“A day” is usually \{ih nyih}/ 一日. The character \{nyih}/ literally means “sun.” In speaking of the heavenly body, in the colloquial, \{deu}/ is added to the \{nyih}/, making the expression \{nyih-deu}/ (日頭). Sometimes the word \{thien}/ (天), meaning “Heaven,” is used for “day.” Thus \{san thien}/ means “three days.” No classifier is introduced between the numeral and the \{nyih}/ or the \{thien}/. Thus we have for “four days” \{s° nyih}/ (四日) or \{s° thien}/ (四天).

“A week” is \{ih kuh °li-pa°}/ (一個禮拜) or \{ih °li-pa°}/ (一禮拜). This, of course, is a foreign division of time which has been adopted into Chinese. It takes its name from the name of Sunday, which is usually \{°li-pa°-nyih}/ (禮拜日). Lit. “the day of ceremonial worship.” \{°Li}/ means ceremony, \{pa°}/ is to worship. The other days of the week are formed with the addition of the numerals as follows: Monday is \{°li-pa°-ih}/ (禮拜一). Tuesday is \{°li-pa°-nyi°}/. Wednesday is \{°li-pa°-san}/. Thursday \{°li-pa°-s°}/. Friday \{°li-pa°-°ng}/ and Saturday \{°li-pa°-lok}/.

A new way of expressing the days of the week is by the use of the words \{sing-ji}/ (星期) meaning the star period. Thus: Sunday is \{sing-ji nyih}/ (星期日), Monday, \{sing-ji ih}/ (星期一), Tuesday, \{sing-ji nyi°}/ (星期二), and so on for the other days.

“A month” is \{ih kuh nyoeh}/ (一個月). Lit. “a moon.” The Chinese year is made up of twelve lunar months. The first month is called \{tsung nyoeh}/ (正月), the second, \{nyi° nyoeh}/ (二月), the third, \{san nyoeh}/ (三月) and so forth.

“A year” is \{ih nyien}/ (一年). No classifier is used between the numeral and the word “year”, \{nyien}/.

“How many?” or “How much?” is \{°kyi-hau°?}/ (幾化). Thus \{°kyi-hau° nyung le?}/ (幾化人來) means “How many men came?” \{°Kyi-hau° °s}/ (幾化水) means “How much water?”

\{°Kyi}/ is often used without the \{hau°}/. In such cases it is followed by the classifier of the noun. Thus “How many men came?” might be \{°kyi kuh nyung le?}/ (幾個人來). “How many horses have you?” \{noong° °yeu °kyi tsak °mo?}/ (儂有幾隻馬).

“Where?” is \{°‘a-°li}/ (那裏). Thus “Where are you going?” is \{noong° tau° °‘a- °li chi°?}/ (儂到那裏去). “Where are you?” is \{noong° la°-°‘a-°li?}/ (濃拉那裏).

\{Sa°}/ meaning “what” with \{di°-faung}/ meaning “place” also expresses “Where?” Thus \{sa° di°-faung?}/ (啥地方). We also have \{sa° dzang-hau°?}/ (啥塲化) meaning “What place?” or “Where?” but this refers to a more circumscribed area than \{di°- faung}/. We also have \{sa° °‘oo-daung°}/ (啥戸蕩) used much in the same way as \{sa° dzang-hau°}/.

VOCABULARY

A fish, \ih diau ng/ 一條魚. To return, \°tsen-le/ 轉來, Lit. To come back; \°tsen-chi°/ 轉去, Lit. To go back. To come out or forth, \tsheh-le/ 出來. To go out, \tsheh chi°/ 出去. To thank, \zia°/ 謝. Near, \°jung/ 近. To-day, \kyung-tsau/ 今朝. Yesterday, \zau-nyih/ 昨日. A painter, \ih kuh tshih-ziang°/ 一個漆匠. Thus, \zeh-ke°/ 實蓋 or \zeh-ke°-nung/ 實蓋能. Then (used as a conjunction), \nan-meh/ 難末. Only, \pi-koo°/ 必過. South, \nen/ 南. Immediately, \zieu°/ 就. Time, \z-‘eu°/ 時候, \zung-kwaung/ 辰光 or \koong-foo/ 工夫. But, \dan°-°z/ 但是, \dok-°z/ 獨是.

EXERCISES

(Translate into English)

(1) °Tshing sien-sang ming-tsau °kyeu °tien-tsoong le. (2) Kyung-tsau °z °li-pa°-ih, ming-tsau °z °li-pa°-nyi°. (3) Di°-kuk nyoeh °yeu san-seh nyih. (4) Ih °li-pa° °yeu tshih nyih. (5) Noong°-kuh bang-°yeu dzu° la° sa° di°-faung? La° dzung °li. La° dzung °li, sa° dzang-hau°? °Jung nen mung. (6) °Ngoo-kuh tau noong° faung° la°-°‘a-°li? (7) Zau-nyih °ngoo dok-ts °ng °tien-tsoong su, nan-meh tsheh-chi° °tseu loo°. (8) °Kyi °pung su °z noong°-kuh °lau °kyi °pung °z yi-kuh? (9) I-kuh nyung °yeu °kyi-kuh ‘eu-°ts? Yi pih-koo° °yeu ih-kuh. (10) Noong° tau°-ts Tsoong-kok °kyi-kuh nyoeh tse? °Ngoo le-ts san kuh nyoeh. (11) Noong° °kyi-z iau° °tsen-chi°? °Li-pa°-san iau° °tsen-chi°. (12) °Zaung-°he °kyi-z °tsen-le kuh? Zau-nyih °tsen-le kuh. (13) Noong° we°-sa°-°lau ’veh tsheh-chi° °tseu °tseu? °Iung-we° m-meh koong-foo °lau. (14) Zia° zia° noong° chi° °tshing i-sung le. (15) °Ngoo dok-°hau-ts su zieu° iau° chuh van. (16) °Z zeh-ke° va°? °Z zeh-ke° kuh.

(一) 請先生明朝九點鐘來. (二) 今朝是禮拜一, 明朝是禮拜二. (三) 第個月有三十日. (四) 一禮拜有七日. (五) 儂個朋友住拉啥地方? 拉城裏. 拉城裏啥場化? 近南門. (六) 我個刀儂放拉那裏? (七) 昨日我讀之五點鐘書, 難末出去走路. (八) 幾本書是儂個佬幾本是伊個? (九) 伊個人有幾個兒子? 伊必過有一個. (十) 儂到之中國幾個月哉? 我來之三個月. (十一) 儂幾時要轉去? 禮拜三要轉去. (十二) 上海幾時轉來個? 昨日轉來個. (十三) 儂爲啥佬勿出去走走? 因爲無沒工夫佬. (十四) 謝謝儂去請醫生來. (十五) 我讀好之書就要吃飯. (十六) 是實蓋否? 是實蓋個.

(Translate into Chinese)

(1) Where have you put my shoes? (2) I put them in the box. (3) I do not want to study on Sunday, but I will study on Monday. (4) How many weeks are there in a month? (5) How many peaches have you eaten? (6) How many dollars did you give your servant? (7) What time is it now? (8) Where do you live? (9) When you have bought the fish, return immediately. (10) The guest will stay here four months, and then will return. (11) Please tell the painter to come. (12) The teacher, having taught for three hours, left immediately. (13) Why do you do it this way? Because the teacher told me to do it thus. (14) I wish to do it, but I have no time to do it. (15) Go see what time it is now.

(一) 我個鞋子儂放拉那裏? (二) 我放拉箱子裏. (三) 禮拜日勿要讀書, 禮拜一佬讀個. (四) 一個月有幾個禮拜? (五) 儂吃之幾隻桃子? (六) 儂撥之儂個用人幾塊洋錢? (七) 現在是幾點鐘? (八) 儂住拉啥地方? (九) 買好之魚就轉來. (十) 客人要住四個月, 難末轉去哉. (十一) 謝謝儂叫漆匠來. (十二) 先生教之三點鐘工夫, 就轉去. (十三) 儂爲啥實蓋做? 因爲先生教我實蓋做. (十四) 我要做個, 但是無沒工夫. (十五) 去看現在幾點鐘.

Notes.

(1) “Thank you” is expressed by repeating the {Zia°}. Thus “Thank you” is {Zia°-zia° noong°}. In speaking to an equal or superior, the {Noong°} would be dropped. Often in Chinese when you ask a person to do a thing for you, you preface the request by thanking the person. Thus {Zia°-zia° noong chi° tan °ngoo-kuh san° le} (謝謝儂去擔我個傘來) means “Thank you, go bring my umbrella.”

(2) {Koong-foo} has the double sense of “work” or “time.” Thus: {Tsoo° koong-foo} means to do work. But {M-meh koong-foo} means “I have no time.” You never say {Sa° koong-foo}, meaning “What time?” but {Sa s-‘eu°?} or {Sa° zung-kwaung?} In asking what time it is by the clock the usual expression is {°Kyi °tien-tsoong?}

(3) The force of the question in the third sentence of the First Exercise is due to the fact that some Chinese months have thirty days and some have twenty-nine. A month of thirty days is called {Doo° nyoeh} (大月), “a large month,” and one with twenty-nine days is called a small month {°Siau nyoeh} (小月). In order to make the seasons come right, an intercalary month is put in about every three years. This in Chinese is called {Nyung° nyoeh} (閏月).

(4) Notice the elliptical form of expression in the seventh sentence of the First Exercise. Literally it means “Yesterday I read five hours’ book.”

(5) In the third sentence of the Second Exercise the Chinese idiom is peculiar. You say {°Li-pa° nyih ’veh iau° dok su, °li-pa°-ih °lau dok kuh}. Literally “Sunday not want to study, Monday and study.”

(6) In the eleventh sentence of the Second Exercise, the “please” should be translated {Zia°-zia° noong°}.

LESSON XI

The Passive Voice, and Adverbs of Place and Time

\{Peh}/ (撥) (Mandarin 被) is used to form the Passive, and is the regular and proper form of the Passive. Thus: the verb \{°tang}/ (打) means to “Strike.” \{°Ngoo °tang yi}/ (我打伊) means “I strike him.” To put this into the Passive we would say \{°ngoo peh yi °tang}/ (我撥伊打). Literally “I gave him strike,” or “I was struck by him.”

“Here” is expressed by \{leh-°li}/ or \{°tsh-di°}/ (垃裏, 此地) or \{di°-deu}/ (第頭). \{°Tsh-di°}/ means literally “this place.”

“There” is \{leh-la°}/ (垃拉) or \{i-deu}/ (伊頭) or \{i-kwhe°}/ (伊塊). “I am here” is \{°ngoo leh-li°}/ (我垃裏). “I am there” is \{°ngoo leh-la°}/ (我垃拉).

These adverbs are often used as adverbial nouns and may take prepositions before them. Thus \{Tau° °di-deu le}/ (到第頭來) means “Come here.” Lit. “To here come.” \{Tau° i-deu chi°}/ (到伊頭去) means “Go there.” Lit. “To there go.” \{°Pa la° °tsh-di°}/ (擺拉此地) means “Place it here,” Lit. “Place it at here.” \{°Pa la° i-kwhe°}/ (擺拉伊塊) means “Place it there.” Lit. “Place it at there.”

VOCABULARY

Half an hour, \pen° °tien-tsoong/ 半點鐘, (\pen°/ means half). Quarter of an hour, \ih khuh/ 一刻. A minute, \ih fung/ 一分. In the morning, \°zaung-pen°-nyih/ 上半日. Lit. Above half day. In the afternoon, \°‘au-pen°-nyih/ 下半日. Lit. Lower half day. Night, \ya°/ 夜. At night, \ya°-deu/ 夜頭 or \ya°-°li/ 夜裏. Day before yesterday, \koo°-nyih-°ts/ 過日子, \zien-nyih-°ts/ 前日子, \i-nyih-°ts/ 伊日子. Day after to-morrow, \°‘eu nyih/ 後日. Early in the morning, \°tsau-zung-deu/ 早晨頭. \°Tsau/ is early. In the evening, \ya°-kwha°/ 夜快. Lit. Night coming fast. In the middle of the day or noon, \nyih-tsoong/ 日中. To cook, \sau/ 燒. To strike, \°tang/ 打. To wait, \°tung/ 等. \°Tung-ih-°tung/ means “Wait a little.” To rest, \hyih/ 歇. \Hyih-ih-hyih/ means “Wait a little.” We also have \°tung-ih-hyih/. To remember, \kyi°/ 記 or \kyi°-tuh/ 記得. To forget, \maung°-kyi°/ 忘記. An affair (abstract), \ih °jien z°-°thi/ or \ih tsaung z°-thi/ 一樁事體. A thing or object (concrete), \ih-kuh meh-z°/ 一個物事. Wind, \foong/ 風. A loaf of bread, \ih-kuh men-deu/ 一個饅頭. A mosquito, \ih tsak mung-°ts/ 一個蚊子 or \ih kuh mung-°ts/. A boat, \ih tsak zen/ 一隻船. Many, much, \too-hau°/ 多化, or \too/ 多. To sting, \ting/ 叮. To bite, \°ngau/ 咬. To spoil, \wa°/ 壞, or \wa°-theh/ 壞脫 (completely spoil). A snake, \ih diau zo/ 一條蛇.

EXERCISES

(Translate into English)

(1) Van° sau °hau meh? Sau °hau tse. (2) °Ngoo-kuh i-zaung tan tau° °tsh-di° le. (3) I-zaung tsoo° °hau meh? ’Veh zung, iau° hyih °liang nyih tsoo° °hau. (4) °Tshing sien-sang ming-tsau °zaung-pen°-nyih zeh °tien-tsoong le. (5) Van° sau-°hau-ts meh zieu° iau° chuh. (6) °Ngoo nyih-°li dok tsoong-kok su, ya°-°li dok nga°-kok su. (7) I-tsak °mo we°-ts °tseu le man° °lau peh la °mo-foo °tang. (8) Zien-nyih-°ts °ngoo la° °Zaung-°he °ma-ts too-hau° meh-z°. (9) °Di tsaung z°-°thi °ngoo theh noong° wo°, dan°-z° ’veh iau° peh i-kuh nyung °hyau-tuh. (10) °Tsau-zung-deu °z °ting °hau dok su kuh zung-kwaung. (11) °Tung-ih-hyih °ngoo zieu° iau° le. (12) Noong° dok koo° hyih kuh su kyi°-tuh va? (13) Ih pen° kyi°-tuh, ih pen° maung°-kyi°. (14) °Ngoo peh la° mung-°ts ting. (15) Men-deu peh la° °siau-noen chuh theh tse. (16) °Ngoo-kuh kyak peh la° zo °ngau-°ts ih °kheu. (17) Zen peh la° doo° foong °tang wa°. (18) °Tshing sien-sang di°-deu °zoo.

(一) 飯燒好末? 燒好哉. (二) 我個衣裳擔到此地來. (三) 衣裳做好末? 勿曾, 要歇兩日做好. (四) 請先生明朝上半日十黙鐘來. (五) 飯燒好之末就要吃. (六) 我日裏讀中國書, 夜裏讀外國書. (七) 伊隻馬爲之走來慢咾撥拉馬夫打. (八) 前日子我拉上海買之多化物事. (九) 第樁事體我對儂話, 但是勿要撥伊個人曉得. (十) 早晨頭是頂好讀書個辰光. (十一) 等一歇我就要來. (十二) 儂讀過歇個書記得否? (十三) 一半記得一半忘記. (十四) 我撥拉蚊子叮. (十五) 饅頭撥拉小囝吃脫哉. (十六) 我個脚撥拉蛇咬仔一口. (十七) 船撥拉大風打壞. (十八) 請先生第頭坐.

(Translate into Chinese)

(1) When will you come, in the morning or in the afternoon? (2) I do not know; if I have no affairs to attend to, I will come in the morning. (3) Has the carpenter finished making the table? If so, I will come and look at it. (4) Place the bed here and the table there. (5) These fish are cooked badly. (6) The day after to-morrow I have invited some guests to dinner. (7) It is already twenty minutes past ten, and my teacher has not ye come. (8) Do you remember what I told you yesterday? I have forgotten it. (9) In studying Chinese, you must not forget what you have already learnt. (10) Please sit down a little while; there are many things I want to say to you. (11) How did you come? I came in a carriage. (12) My child was struck by your child. (13) My face and hands were bitten by mosquitoes.

(一) 儂幾時要來, 上半日呢下半日? (二) 我勿曉得, 若然嘸沒事體, 要上半日來. (三) 擡子木匠做好末? 若然做好之末, 我要來看看. (四) 牀棑拉第頭, 檯子擺拉伊頭. (五) 魚燒來勿好. (六) 後日我請幾個客人來吃飯. (七) 已經十點過廿分哉, 先生還勿曾來. (八) 我昨日對儂話個儂記得否? 我忘記脫哉. (九) 讀中國書已經學過拉個, 勿要忘記. (十) 請坐一歇, 有多化事體要對儂話. (十一) 儂那能來個, 我坐馬車來個. (十二) 我個小囝撥儂個小囝打. (十三) 我個面孔佬手撥拉蚊子叮.

Notes.

(1) It will have been noticed that in Lesson VI. {Leh-li°} was used in the Present Tense Continuous of the Verb, and that {Leh-la°} was used for the Past Continuous. It was pointed out then that these words really signify “Here” and “There.” The literal sense would be “I am here eating,” and “I was there eating.”

(2) It is very important that beginners should distinguish clearly between {meh-z°} and {z°-°thi}. Any concrete object may be called a {meh-z°}. But an abstract action or affair is always {z°-°thi}.

In mandarin-speaking districts {toong-si} 東西 (Lit. “East-West”) is often used for {meh-z°}, and sometimes it is heard in the Shanghai District.

(3) In the fifth sentence of the First Exercise, notice how the {°ts} is tacked on to the {°hau}, and not to the {sau}.

(4) In the tenth sentence of First Exercise notice how the {dok su} has become a verbal adjective. Lit. “Reading book time.”

(5) In the fifteenth sentence of the First Exercise the force of the {theh} after {chuh} is that it has been entirely eaten up. {Theh} often comes after verbs to express completed action.

(6) In the sixteenth sentence of the First Exercise, {°Ngau-°ts ih °kheu} means literally “Bitten a mouthful.”

(7) In the seventeenth sentence we have two verbs used together—{°tang} and {wa°}. Literally “Beat” or “strike spoil.”

(8) In the seventh sentence of the Second Exercise twenty minutes past ten is expressed {zeh °tien koo° nyan° fung}. {°Tien} is a shortened form for {°tien-tsoong}. {Koo°} means “passed over” or “beyond.”

(9) In the twelfth sentence of the First Exercise notice the use of {kuh}, It has the force of the relative pronoun, and the translation would be “the books which you have read.”

(10) In the sixth sentence of the Second Exercise “some” may be translated by {°kyi-kuh}.

LESSON XII

Some Verbal Idioms

We have already explained the use of \{°khau-°i}/, \{nung-keu°}/, and \{we°}/. There are other ways of expressing the possibility and impossibility of doing things in Chinese. For instance one way is by the addition of \{tuh le}/ or \{’veh le}/ after the verb. Thus: \{Dok-tuh-le}/ (讀得來) means “Able to read.” \{Dok-’veh-le}/ (讀勿來) means “Unable to read it.” Many verbs of one character admit of this construction. Thus: \{Wo°-tuh-le}/ means “Able to speak.” \{Wo°-’veh-le}/ means “Unable to speak.” \{Tsoo°-tuh-le}/ (做得來), “Able to do.” \{Tsoo°-’veh-le}/ (做勿來), “Unable to do.”

Verbs made up of two characters do not take \{tuh-le}/ and \{’veh-le}/ after them. Thus we do not hear \{°hyau-tuh-’veh-le}/ for “Unable to know,” but \{’veh we° °hyau-tuh}/ (勿會曉得).

The literal meaning of \{tuh-le}/ is “Obtain, come,” and the literal meaning of \{’veh-le}/ is “Not come.”

We also have the use of \{tuh-kuh}/ after verbs, expressing possibility, and \{’veh-tuh}/, expressing impossibility. Thus we have \{tsoo°-tuh-kuh}/ (做得個), meaning “it is possible to do a thing,” and \{tsoo°-’veh-tuh}/ (做勿得), meaning “it is impossible to do a thing.” With verbs of physical action, we have \{tuh-°doong}/ (得動) and \{’veh-°doong}/ (勿動) used after the verb implying possibility and impossibility. Thus we have \{°tseu-tuh-°doong}/ (走得動), meaning “I have the physical ability to walk,” and \{°tseu-’veh-°doong}/ (走勿動), meaning “I have not the physical ability to walk.” In the same way we have \{tsoo°-tuh-°doong}/ (做得動) and \{tsoo°-’veh-°doong}/ (做勿動). \{’Veh-°doong}/ literally means “Not move.”

Strange to say we have \{°zoo-’veh-°doong}/ (坐勿動), meaning “I have not the physical ability to sit up,” and \{°zoo-tuh-°doong}/ (坐得動), meaning “I have the physical ability to sit up.”

\{°Ma-tuh-°doong}/ (買得動) means “Possible to buy.” \{°Ma-’veh-°doong}/ (買勿動) means “Impossible to buy.”

With verbs of hearing and seeing impossibility is expressed in still another way. Thus we have \{khoen°-tuh-kyien°}/ (看得見), meaning “It is possible to see,” and \{khoen°-’veh-kyien°}/ (看勿見) meaning “It is impossible to see it.” Literally translated these expressions are “See, obtain, behold,” and “See, not behold.” We also have \{khoen°-tuh-tsheh}/ (看得出), meaning to see a thing clearly. Literally “See, obtain, come forth,” and \{khoen°-’veh-tsheh}/ (看勿出), meaning not to be able to see, or literally “See, not come forth.”

In the same way we have \{thing-tuh-tsheh}/ (聽得出) and \{thing-’veh-tsheh}/ (聽勿出) in regard to hearing. Instead of \{thing-tuh-kyien°}/ and \{thing-’veh-kyien°}/ we have \{thing-tuh-dzak}/ (聽得着) and \{thing-’veh-dzak}/ (聽勿着). Literally “Hear, obtain” and “Hear, not obtain.”

We have already explained the use of \{°hau} /after verbs expressing completed action. We also have other words used much in the same way. Thus \{dok-°hau-tse}/ (讀好哉), \{dok-wen-tse}/ (讀完哉) or \{dok-°ba-tse}/ (讀罷哉) all mean the same thing. The verb \{wen}/ means “to finish.” Accordingly in asking a question \{tsoo°-°hau-meh}/ (做好末), \{tsoo°-wen-meh}/ (做完末) and \{tsoo°-°ba-meh}/ (做罷末), all mean “Have you finished it?”

Verbal nouns are often formed by the addition of \{deu}/ (頭) or \{fah}/ (法) after the verb. Thus \{tsoo°-deu}/ (做頭) or \{tsoo°-fah}/ (做法) means the manner of doing a thing.

VOCABULARY

To move, to excite, \°doong/ 動. To hear, \thing/ (聽). Heard, \thing-kyien°/ 聽見 To knock, to strike, \khau/ 敲. To finish, \wen/ 完.

\Kan/ (間) is the classifier used with rooms.

A room, \ih kan/ 一間. A bed room, \ih kan vaung-kan/ 一間房間. A guest room, \ih kan khak-daung-kan/ 一間客堂間. An office, \ih kan °sia-z°-kan/ 一間寫字間. A shroff’s room, \ih kan tsang°-vaung-kan/ 一間帳房間. A study, \ih kan su-vaung/ 一間書房. A dining room, \ih kan chuh-van°-kan/ 一間吃飯間. A kitchen, \ih kan sau-van°-kan/ 一間燒飯間 or \dzu-vaung/ 廚房 or \tsau°-kan/ 灶間. All, \°loong-°tsoong/ 攏總 or \koong°-°tsoong/ 共總. All in general, most, \da-ke/ 大槪. Few, \°sau/ 少. Each, \°me/ 每. Every, \kauh/ 各. Other, \bih/ 別. High, \kau/ 高. Low, \ti/ 低. Broad, \khweh/ 闊. Narrow, \‘ah/ 狹. Deep, \sung/ 深. Shallow, \°tshien/ 淺 Too (denoting excess), \thuh/ 忒. Above, \°zaung-deu/ 上頭. Below, \°‘au-deu/ 下頭, \°‘au-°ti-deu/ 下底]頭, \°‘au-°ti/ 下底. Under, beneath, \°ti-°‘au/ 底下. Outside, \nga°-deu/ 外頭. After, \°‘eu/ 後. Behind, \°‘eu-°ti/ 後底, \°‘eu-°ti-deu/, 後底頭 \°‘eu-deu/ 後頭. Before, \zien/ 前, \zien-deu/ 前頭. Earth, \di°/ 地 or \di°-jeu/ 地球.

EXERCISES

(Translate into English)

(1) °Zaung-deu °yeu thien, °‘au-deu °yeu di°. (2) °Yeu too-hau° z° °ngoo °sia-’veh-le. (3) Noong° we°-sa°-°lau °tseu le man°-le-°si? Iung-we° °ngoo °tseu ’veh-°doong °lau. (4) Tsoong-kok wo° zak-zen nyung wo° le kwha° meh, °ngoo thing-’veh-tsheh. (5) °Yeu-kuh su °ngoo dok ’veh le. (6) Di°-zak vaung-°ts °kyi-hau° kau, °kyi-hau° kwheh? (7) Di°-zak vaung-°ts °yeu °kyi kan? (8) °Yeu ih kan khak-daung, ih kan °sia-z°-kan, ih kan chuh-van°-kan, °lau s° kan vaung-kan. (9) Di°-kuh meh-z° °yeu sa° yoong°-deu va? ’M-sa° yoong°-deu. (10) Sa° nyung la° khau mung? °Ngoo ’veh zung thing-kyien° °yeu sa° nyung la° khau mung. (11) Di° diau loo° thuh ‘ah, °ting °hau noong° °tseu la° zien-deu, °ngoo °tseu la° °‘eu-deu. (12) °Tshing khak-nyung khak-daung °li °zoo. (13) Dzoong °Zaung-°he tau° °tsh di° °yeu °kyi-hau° loo°? (14) Vaung-°ts nga°-deu °z °lang °tien, vaung-°ts °li-hyang° °z nyih °tien. (15) Di°-diau ‘oo °yeu-kuh di°-faung °z sung °tien, °yeu-kuh di°-faung °z °tshien °tien. (16) Noong° na°-nung °hyau-tuh di° tsaung z°-thi? Iung-we° °ngoo thing-tuh °yeu nyung wo° °lau. (17) Ze-voong tsoo° le ’veh °hau, °loong-°tsoong kuh i-zaung thuh doo°. (18) Kauh nyung °yeu kauh nyung kuh z°-°thi.

(一) 上頭有天, 下頭有地. (二) 有多化字我寫勿來. (三) 儂爲啥佬走來慢來死? 因爲我走勿動佬. (四) 中國話若然人話來快末, 我聽勿出. (五) 有個書我讀勿來. (六) 笫宅房子幾化高, 幾化闊. (七) 第宅房子有幾間. (八) 有一間客堂, 一間寫字間, 一間吃飯間, 佬四間房間. (九) 第個物事有啥用頭否? 嘸啥用頭. (十) 啥人拉敲門? 我勿曾聽見有啥人拉敲門. (十一) 第條路忒狹, 頂好儂走拉前頭, 我走拉後頭. (十二) 請客人客堂裏坐. (十三) 從上海到此地有幾化路? (十四) 房子外頭是冷點, 房子裏向是熱點. (十五) 第條河有個地方是深點, 有個地方是淺點. (十六) 儂那能曉得第樁事體? 因爲我聽得有人話佬. (十七) 裁縫做來勿好, 攏總個衣裳忒大. (十八) 各人有各人個事體.

(Translate into Chinese)

(1) Where is your teacher? He is in the study writing. (2) Did you tell the table boy to bring the tea? (3) If the carpenter does not make it well, I shall call another man. (4) This manner of doing it is bad; I want you to do it better. (5) I walked to Shanghai, and then I could walk no further. (6) Then what did you do? I called a ricsha and came back. (7) Is the Master in? He has gone out. (8) Three days ago I went to see the pagoda. (9) There is water beneath the earth. (10) The cat is under the chair. (11) When I have finished reading the book, I want to learn to write characters. (12) Tell him to come inside. (13) This table is too low; I cannot write characters on it. (14) May I come in? Come right in.

(一) 儂個先生拉啥地方? 拉寫字間裏寫字. (二) 担茶來, 儂對仔細崽話否? (三) 若然木匠做來勿好, 我要叫別人來做. (四) 實蓋做頭是勿好, 我要儂做來好點. (五) 我走到上海難末走勿動哉. (六) 難末儂那能做頭? 我叫之東洋車佬轉來. (七) 先生垃拉否? 出去拉. (八) 三日前頭我去看第座塔. (九) 地底下有水. (十) 貓拉椅子底下. (十一) 我讀罷之書要學寫字. (十二) 叫伊到裏向來. (十三) 第隻檯子忒低, 勿好寫字. (十四) 我可以進來否? 進來末哉.

Notes.

(1) In regard to {°sau}, meaning “few,” it should be noted that it never occurs before a noun. If you wish to say a few men the idiomatic expression would be {°yeu ’veh too °kyi-kuh nyung} (有勿多幾個人) or {m-meh °kyi-hau° nyung} (無沒幾化人). The men are few would be {nyung °sau} (人少). {°Sau} is often used to qualify verbs. Thus we have {°sau dok kuh}, meaning “to read less.”

(2) As already pointed out in a previous lesson what correspond to prepositions in English are really postpositions in Chinese, as they come after the nouns instead of before them. When used as adverbs, however, they generally precede the verbs. Thus we have {°li-hyang° °zoo} for “Sit inside,” {°zaung-deu °zoo} (上頭坐) for “take a higher seat.” This is the usual polite phrase said to a guest when he enters your guest room. He will take a seat near the door, and you ask him “to be seated higher.”

(3) The first sentence of the First Exercise is really an oath, and is used when one is calling Heaven and Earth to witness that his words are true.

(4) Note the impersonal use of {°yeu} in the second sentence of the First Exercise. Literally it is “There are many characters.”

(5) In the seventh sentence of the Second Exercise you have the usual form of inquiring whether the gentleman you wish to see is at home. You say {Sien-sang leh-la° va°?} “is the master there?” The answer is {leh-la°}, if he is at home, meaning “He is there.” If he is not at home, the answer may be {tsheh chi° la°}, “he has gone out,” or {’veh leh-la°}, “he is not there.”

LESSON XIII

Auxiliary Verbs

The verb \{°chi}/ (起) is often used as an auxiliary verb after the principal verb to express the idea of {inception}. Thus \{dok-°chi}/ (讀起) means “Begin to read.” \{°Chi}/ also expresses the idea of {erectness}, but when used in this sense, \{le}/ (來) follows the \{°chi}/. Thus \{Lih-°chi-le}/ (立起來) means “Stand up.” \{Lok-°chi-le}/ (䟿起來) means “Get up.” It also has a {progressive} meaning, as when you say \{Doh-°chi-le}/ (讀起來) it means “read on,” “go on reading.”