A Manual of the Foochow Dialect In Twenty Lessons/Lesson II
LESSON II.
- 主 Ciō
- Lord, Master.
- 坐 sô̤i
- sit down, sit upon.
- 字 cê
- character, word
- 𠆧 nè̤ng
- man, people
- 墨 mĕ̤k
- ink
- 請 chiāng
- to request
- 倩 chiáng
- to engage
- 茶 dà
- tea
- 馬 mā
- horse
- 連 lièng
- and, together
- 讀 tĕ̤k
- read aloud, study aloud
- 𠍒 muóng
- to ask, enquire
- 讚美詩 cáng-mī-sĭ
- hymn, hymnbook
- 燈馬 dĭng-mā
- lamp
- 衣裳 ĭ-siòng
- clothing
- 只隻 cī ciáh
- this one
- 許隻 hṳ̄ ciáh
- that one
- 起動 kĭ-dâe̤ng
- please, I will trouble you
- 耶穌 Ià-Sŭ
- Jesus
- 上帝 Siông-Dá̤
- God
- 救主 Gēu-Ciō
- Savior
- 基督 Gĭ-dók
- Christ
- 聖經 Séng-Gĭng
- Bible
- 棹 dó̤h
- table
- 椅 iē
- chair
- 毛 mò̤
- no, has not, have not
- 請問 chiāng muóng
- please inform me
- 將換 ciŏng-uâng
- thus, in this manner
- 世乇 sié-nó̤h: 乜乇 miéh-nó̤h
- what?
- 意思 é-sé̤ṳ
- meaning, thought
- 聲音 siăng-ĭng
- sound, voice
- 地方 dê-huŏng
- place
- 位處 ôi-ché̤ṳ
- place
- 鷄蛋 giĕ-lâung
- hen's eggs
2. In Chinese pronouns are not used as frequently as in English; this is especially true in regard to the second personal pronoun singular. Unless one is conversing with an intimate friend or relation, a child or a menial servant, 汝 nṳ̄ is not often used. The person's name or designation e. g. 先生 sĭng-săng is substituted where the second personal pronoun would be used in English. Many Chinese Christians avoid the use of the pronoun in addressing the Deity.
3. Abruptness in asking questions is avoide by using the phrase 請問 chiāng muóng at the beginning of the enquiry. To omit this is to gain for oneself the reputation of being illbred. Please, Mr. Ma, what is this character? 請問馬先生嚽是世乇字 Chiāng muóng Mā sĭng-săng, cuòi sê sié-nó̤h cê? Chiāng is used before most verbs in the sense of "to request", and as the equivalent of "please". It is not used to servants and laborers. Please be seated, 請坐 chiāng sô̤i. Please, ask him, sir, 請先生問伊 Chiāng sĭng-săng muóng ĭ.
Kī-dâe̤ng is the equivalent of "I'll trouble you", and is used in requesting or acknowledging assistance given, as in asking the road, etc. It is better not to use this expression to one's own servants, unless in the case of services rendered beyond their proper duties. Missionaries do well to teach their children to say kī-dâe̤ng to the household servants in asking them for their assitance. Please, sir, read aloud from this book. 起動先生讀者書 Kī-dâe̤ng sĭng-săng, tĕ̤k ciā cṳ̆. Thanks! (for assistance given) 起動 Kī-dâe̤ng. No trouble! 毛起動 Mò̤ kī-dâe̤ng!
4. Verbs often include prepositions in their meaning. Thus 坐 sô̤i to sit down, also means to sit upon. He sits upon the chair, 伊坐椅 ĭ sô̤i iē.
5. It has already been stated that cuòi and huòi, the demonstrative pronouns "this" and "that", are not applied to persons. In speaking of persons, 只隻 cī ciáh, this one, and 許隻 hṳ̄ ciáh, that one, are used. THey are also used in the more extended forms 只一隻 cī siŏh ciáh and 許一隻 hṳ̄ siŏh ciáh. Who is this? It is my younger brother. 只隻是世乇𠆧 Ci ciáh sê sié-nó̤h nè̤ng? 伊是儂家其弟 I sê nè̤ng-gă gì diê.
NOTE. While 燈馬 dĭng-mā is the generic name of lamps in Foochow colloquial, it is well to know that the natives of Foochow apply special names to different varieties of lamps. A table lamp, such as can be carried in the hand is called a dò̤-guóng, literally a light that can be carried. For some occult reason the word guŏng meaning light, in this connexion is in the third tone instead of the first, which is the proper reading of the word for light. A hanging lamp, such as is used as in churches, being insured against the danger of being overturned, is known as a 保險 bō̤-hiēng literally "insurance against danger". Dĭng-mā is the name originally applied to the primitive native lamps, consisting of a saucer of oil, with a rush wick, on a bamboo frame, and may be translated "lamp horse," forming an interesting parallel to the English word "clothes-horse". The servants of foreigners in Fuhkien have grown accustomed to the use of dĭng-mā as applied to lamps in general. When the mistress of the house asks the cook to tell the coolie to bring in the dĭng-mā, the word dò̤-guóng is used in the kitchen, in the transmission of the order.
EXERCISE II.
- 點燈 diēng dĭng
- to light a lamp
- 起火 kī hūoi
- to light a fire
- 燈籠 dĭng-lè̤ng
- a lantern
- 茶葉 dà-niŏh
- tea in the leaf
- 泡茶 páu dà
- to make tea
- 𠕆 dâing
- hard
- 濃 nṳ̀ng
- strong, as an infusion
- 淡 dâng
- weak
- 務禮數 ô lā̤-só
- polite
- 掃 sáu
- to sweep
- 盒 ăk
- a small box
- 空 kĕ̤ng
- a hole
Translate into English:—
- Chiāng tĕ̤k Séng-Gĭng.
- Huòi sê ĭ gì iē dó̤h.
- Cuòi sê sié-nó̤h cê? Cuòi sê mā cê.
- Séng-Gĭng sê Siông-Dá̤ gì cṳ̆.
- Páu dà.
- Chiāng muóng Căng-mī-sĭ sê sié-nó̤h é-séṳ?
- Cuòi sê nè̤ng-gă gì.
- Kī huōi.
- Cuòi sê dĭng-lè̤ng, huòi sê dò̤-guóng.
- Ĭ-gáuk-nè̤ng mò dĭng-mā.
- Ciŏng-uă̂ng muóng mò̤ lā̤-só.
- Chiāng muóng dĭng cê sê sié-nóh é-sé̤ṳ?
- Cuòi sê sié-nó̤h? Cuòi sê mièng-bău.
- Nṳ̄ muóng sié-nó̤h?
- Ĭ-gáuk-nè̤ng mò̤ diēng dĭng.
Translate into Chinese:—
- Those are the soldier's horses.
- Light the fire yourself.
- He has no manners.
- This is Mr. Diong's elder brother.
- The horse is mine.
- Please, Mr. Li, ask your friend to sit down.
- This is my meaning, that is his meaning.
- Jesus is our Savior.
- What pencils are there?
- This is my friend's tea.
- Please, Pastor Li, read the Bible.
- The books and chairs are mind; the money and horses are his.
- Please, sir, sit on the chair.
- May I ask what this is? It is my inkslab.
- The ink is his, the pen is mine.