A Manual of the Foochow Dialect In Twenty Lessons/Lesson III

by C. M. S. and A. E. Champness

LESSON III.

一

siŏh, ék: one

二

lâng, nê: two

三

săng: three

四

se: four

五

ngô: five

六

lĕ̤k: six

七

chék: seven

八

báik: eight

九

gāu: nine

十

sĕk: ten

着冬那

diŏh dĕ̤ng-nē̤: where?

一隻錢

siŏh-ciáh cièng: one cash

一隻𠆧

siŏh-ciáh nè̤ng: one man

一本聖經

siŏh-buōng Séng Gĭng: a Bible

一件乇

siŏh-iông nó̤h: one thing

只一隻

cī siŏh-ciáh: this one

許一隻

hṳ̄ siŏh-ciáh: that one

一杯茶

siŏh-bŭoi dà: a cup of tea

一張椅

siŏh-tiŏng iē: a chair

務

ô: to have, there is, there are

看

káng: to se̤, lo̤k

聽

tiăng: to hear

俤

diê: who, which

幾

guī: how many?

一百

siŏh-bah: one hundred

掏

dò̤: to tkae in the hand

掏來

dò̤ lì: to bring

掏去

dò̤ kó̤: to take away

一把轎

siŏh-bā giêu: a sedan

者

ciā: this

那

hiā: that

椆

diù: closet, cupboard

綢

diù: silk cloth

碼

mā: a yard

一主

siŏh-ciō: one family

箬壤

niŏh-uâi: how many

俤𠆧

diê-nè̤ng: who?

縛

bŭoh: to tie up

The Numerary Adjunct or Classifier

One of the most important of all Chinese idioms is the use of a certain particle with each noun, in enumeration or description. This particle is known to students of Chinese as the Numerary Adjunct or Classifier. A paralled to this Chinese construction is found in the English phrase "a piece of music" where the use of the word "piece" is necessary, as we cannot speak of "a music". What is only found in a few cases in the English language is the almost universal rule in Chinese the exceptions being few and for definite reasons. It is absolutely necessary for the student of Chinese to be thoroughly acquainted with these Numerary adjuncts and the rules for their use, as not only do they form an integral part of the Chinese spoken language, but at times the only way to distinguish between the meaning of two nouns identical in sound and tone is by listening to the numerary adjuncts used with them. A cupboard is 欄一架 diù siŏh gá, while a piece of silk cloth is 綢一疋 diù siŏh pék.

The numerary adjunct is sometimes placed before the noun and sometimes after. Thus the phrase, “two sedan chairs” may be translated 二把轎 lâng bā giêu or 轎二把 giêu lâng bā where bā is the numerary adjunct, and lâng the numeral. (The rules for the numerals and their uses will be found in the next lesson.)

1. The most commonly used of the different N. A. are the following:—隻 Ciáh, this is the most widely used, and is generally applied to men, and to things of square shape. There men, 三隻𠆧 săng ciáh nè̤ng. Two boxes, 二隻箱 lâng ciáh siŏng. 本 Buōng is the N. A. of books and pencils. One Bible, 一本聖經 siŏh buōng Séng-Gĭng. Three pencils, 三本筆 săng buōng bék. 架 Gá is the N. A. of bedsteads, cupboards, clocks, ladders etc. 粒 Lăk is the N. A. of stars, beads, buttons, grains, and round objects generally. 張 Tiŏng is the N. A. of things possessing flat surfaces, as paper, tables, chairs, etc.

2. The exceptions to the general rule that each noun takes its own N. A. with it are as follows;– (a) Some collective nouns are themselves numerary adjuncts, and are used as such. One flock, 一羣 siŏh gùng. Two families, 二主 lûng ciō. (b) Some nouns denoting fixed sets or numbers. The Three Kingdoms (a famous Chinese historical work), 三國 Săng-Guók. The Four Books (Chinese Classics), 四書 Sé̤ṳ-Cṳ̆. (c) Nouns noting divisions of time. Three days, 三日 săng nĭk. Eight year, 八年 báik nièng. Two days work, 二工 lâng gĕ̤ng. The N. A. however, is used with months. Three months, 三个月日 săng gá ngŏuk nĭk. (d) Some nouns, preceded by the numerals from twenty upwards, omit the N. A. as twenty-six men 二十六𠆧 nê sĕk lĕ̤k nè̤ng. (e) The N. A. is understood and not expressed in sentences where its noun and the verb preceding it form the Predicate. This Bible is mine, 只一本聖經是儂家其 cī siŏh buōng Séng-Gĭng sê nè̤ng-gă gì, which may also be expressed 嚽是儂家其聖經 cuòi sê nè̤ng-gă gì Séng-Gĭng. (f) The N. A. is not used after the Possessive Case. These are my things, 嚽是儂家其乇 cuòi sê nè̤ng-gă gì nó̤h. (g) The N. A. is not used with indefinite numbers. He is looking at the horses, 伊看馬 ĭ káng mā. (h) The names of weights and measures are themselves used as N. A. Three yards of silk, 三碼綢 săng mā dìu. (i) In speaking of "a box of money", "a table full of books," "half a basin of tea", the words "box, table and basin" become N. A., as a cup of tea, 一杯茶 siŏh buŏi dà. A box of books, 一箱書 siŏh siŏng cṳ̆. (j) The room accompanying the N. A. is often understood, especially in answering questions where it has been already expressed. How many books have you? Eight. 汝務幾本書 Nṳ̄ ô gūi buōng cṳ̆? Báik buōng.

2. In asking in English the questions—Which person? Which thing? We leave the word “one” to be understood. Chinese idiom requires the “one” and other numbers to be indicated, and followed by the N. A.— Who?, Which one?, 俤一隻 diê siŏh ciáh? Which Bible?, 俤一本聖經 diê siŏh buōng Séng-Gĭng? In asking after a person, however, we use 俤𠆧 diê nè̤ng? who?

3. The N. A. is used with the Demonstrative Pronouns "this" and "that" as follows;— This thing is mine, 只一件乇是儂家其 cī siŏh iông nó̤h sê nè̤ng-gă gì. That chair is his, 許一張椅是伊其 hṳ̄ siŏh tiŏng sê ĭ gì.

4. The N. A. is also used with "how many?" when represented by 幾 gūi. How many words? 箬壤字 niŏh-uâi cê?

5. The Possessive Case of 俤𠆧 diê nè̤ng, and 俤一隻 diê siŏh ciáh, is formed by the addition of 其 gì. Whose is this Bible? 只一本聖經是俤𠆧其 cī siŏh buōng Séng-Gĭng sê diê nè̤ng gì.

6. 者 Ciā and 那 hiā are forms of the Demonstrative pronoun "this" and "that" used directly with the noun, without the N. A. This money is mine, 者錢是儂家其 ciā cièng sê nè̤ng-gă gì. Those books are his, 那書是伊其 hiā cṳ̆ sê ĭ gì. Ciā and hiā can be applied to a number of articles considered collectively as forming a unit. How much are these books a volume? 者書箬讓錢一本 ciā cṳ̆ niŏh-uâi cièng siŏh buōng?

7. "Where" begins the sentence in which it is found, in English; in Chinese it is placed at the end. Where is the child? 伲仔着冬那 niê-giāng diŏh dĕ̤ng-nē̤?

EXERCISE. III.

莽

muōng: just, merely, you had better, you can

客店

káh-dáing: inn

氲塵

ŭng-dìng: dust

蜘蛛胮

tĭ-tṳ̆-măng: cobwebs

吵擾

chāu-iēu: to bother, annoy

行李 hèng-lī

baggage

牛乳 ngù-nèng

milk

夷皂 ì-cô̤

soap

掃手 sáu-chīu

broom

隴總 lūng-cūng

all

樓梯 làu-tăi

ladder

已經 ī-gĭng

already

Translate into English:—

1. Chiāng nṳ̄ tĕk dâ̤ ék ciŏng.
2. Nṳ̄ muóng diê-nè̤ng.
3. Nṳ̄ muóng káng ĭ ô gūi báh.
4. Hiā săng buōng cṳ̆ sê diê-nè̤ng gì?
5. Sê Diŏng Sĭng-săng gì.
6. Diŏng Sĭng-săng ô gūi-ciáh giāng?
7. Cī siŏh ciáh sê nè̤ng-gă gì giāng.
8. Nṳ̄ káng sié-nó̤h cṳ̆? Nè̤ng-gă káng Séng-Gĭng.
9. Nṳ̄ gì nòng-mâ diŏh dĕ̤ng-nē̤?
10. Káh-dáing diŏh dĕ̤ng-nē̤?
11. Ciā hèng-lī sê nè̤ng-gă gì.
12. Làu-tăi diŏh dĕ̤ng-nē̤? Nè̤ng-gă mò̤ làu-tăi.
13. Ciā gūi-cī sŏng.
14. Ĭ mò̤ sáu-chīu.
15. Sô̤i giêu gì ô niôh-uâi nè̤ng? Ô lĕ̤k ciáh.

Translate into Chinese:—

1. Which chapter?
2. How many hundreds do you want?
3. He asked me where my brother was.
4. This dictionary and pen are yours.
5. May I ask whose soap this is?
6. Please listen; what is he reading?
7. The children have not bothered me.
8. Please bring me a lamp.
9. That bread is sweet.
10. This horse belongs to the soldiers.
11. Where did this strong tea come from?
12. Please take:this cupboard away.
13. Bring eight yards of silk cloth.
14. Please bring me hymn book.
15. I have three sedan chairs, please look at them, sir.