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

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

LESSON VII.

病 bâng

disease, illness

將 ciŏng

sign of direct object

恰 kák

too much, excessive, very

呌 giéu

to summon, call out

鄭 dâng

mistake, wrong

䞱起 gók-kī

to arise (from bed) get up

雞角 giĕ-gaé̤k

cock

雞牳 giĕ-mō̤

hen

話 uâ

words

銅 dè̤ng

brass

niăng-nói

a little

騎 kìe

to ride an animal

就 cêu

at once

刀 dŏ̤

a knife

更 gáing

more

過 guó

to pass, sign of past tense

一滴仔 siŏh-dék-giāng

a little

世界 sié-gái

the world

打發 dā-huák

to send officially

以後 ī-hâiu

afterwards

轉來 diōng lì

to return

轉去 diōng kó̤

to go back

熱 iĕk

hot

完了 uòng-lāu

finished

滾湯 gūng-tŏng

boiling water

清 chéng

cold, as the weather, the body

水 cūi

water

慢 mâing

slow

䟰 gìang

to walk

柴 chà

wood

湯 tŏng

hot water, soup

獲 hĕk or kĕk

to handle, sign of direct object

前 sèng

first, before

捨命 siā miâng

to give up life for others

起來 kī lì

to rise up, an auxiliary verb

一句話 siŏh gáo uâ

a sentence

後來 hâiu-lài

afterwards

凍 dáe̤ng

cold, of things and limbs

差遣 chă̤-kiēng

to send on business

1. Certain words in Chinese are largely used both as principal and auxiliary verbs, and are largely found amongst verbs indicating action. Two of the verbs most widely used in this way are lì and kó̤: Bring that thing here, 那乇掏來 Hiā nó̤h dò̤ lì. Take that knife away, 那刀掏去 Hiā dŏ̤ dò̤ kó̤. Bring my chair here, 儂家其椅掏來 nè̤ng-gă gì iē dò̤ lì. Bring boiling water, 滾湯掏來 Gūng-tŏng dò̤ lì. Bring Mr. Diong’s two large Bibles here, 張先生二本大聖經掏來 Diŏng Sĭng-săng lâng buōng duâi Séng-gĭng dò̤ lì.

2. 將 Ciŏng is used in Chinese in a very different way to any English construction. It comes immediately before the verb and need not be translated. When so used in this construction a complete change in the order of words is necessary. 獲 Hĕk or kĕk is used in a similar way. Many examples of this may be found in the New Testament. He took his property and entrusted it to them, 將伊所務其乇交乞伊 Ciŏng ĭ sū ô gì nó̤h gău ké̤ṳk ĭ.

3. 就 Cêu is used in certain Chinese construction, in sentences indicating that one action is the consequence of a previous action, and may be translated “thereupon,” “forthwith”, etc. In English words of this nature are often understood and not expressed, but in Chinese the equivalent cêu must always be expressed. When I came to China I engaged a teacher, 儂家至中國就請一隻先生 Nè̤ng-gă gáu Dŭng-guók cêu chiāng siŏh ciáh Sĭng-săng. When they had finished worship they returned home, 禮拜做完了伊各𠆧就轉去 Lā̤-bái có̤ uòng lāu ĭ-gáuk-nè̤ng cêu diōng kó̤.

4. The sentence “What is this made of?” may be written “Of what is this made?” Chinese idiom corresponds to the latter form. What is this made of? 嚽是世乇做其 Cuòi sê sié-nó̤h có̤ gì? What is this chair made of? 者椅是世乇做其 Ciā iē sê sié-nó̤h có̤ gì? Similarly in Chinese, the question “Where has he come from?” is expressed “From where has he come?” 伊由冬那來 ĭ iù dĕ̤ng-nē̤ lì?

5. The connection in which a verb is found often determines its mood and tense. This is especially true of past and perfect tenses. 了 Lāu or 過 guó may sometimes be used but more often there is no sign at all to denote the inflections. Practice and observation teach one best. 好了 Hō̤ lāu and 清楚了 chĭng-chū lāu may be added to verbs as a sign of either tense and may be translated by “finished” or any other word denoting completion. Jesus gave up His life, 耶穌捨伊其命 Ià-Sŭ siā ĭ gì miâng. Have you finished? 做好了味 做好了 Có̤ hō̤ lāu muôi? Có̤ hō̤ lāu. I have seen it, 儂家見過了 Nè̤ng-gă giéng guó lāu. Have you taken food? 汝食飯昧 食了 Nṳ̄ siăh buông muôi? Siăh lāu.

6. 務 ô and its negative forms 昧 muôi and 毛 mò̤ are used to indicate the past tense. ô signifies possession, but it forms an auxiliary verb to mark the past and perfect tenses. It is placed before the verb, and guó is placed after the verb. Have you ridden the donkey? 汝務椅過驢昧 Nṳ̄ ô kiè guó tè̤ muô? I have done so, 儂家騎過了 Nè̤ng-gă kiè guó làu.

7. 恰 Kák signifies “too much” or “extremely”, and is generally used with positive forms. That table is too long, 那棹恰長 Hiā dó̤h kák dòng. That child is very bad, 那伲仔恰平正 Hiā níe-giāng kák bàng-ciáng.

8. “Afterwards” is expressed by the use of the terms 以後 ī-hâiu and 後來 hâiu-lái. The former is most frequently used in Foochow Colloquial, the latter pointing to more distant time. Hâiu is used alone meaning “after” in opposition to 先 sĕng before. First do this and then do that, 先做嚽 後做回 Sĕng có̤ cuòi, hâiu có̤ huòi. He came here, and then went to Ku-cheng, 伊至只塊以後去古田 i gáu cī-nái ī-hâiu kó̤ Kŭ-chèng. I don’t know what will happen in (distant) future, 後來其代我賣曉的 Hâiu-lái gì dâi nguāi mā̤ hiēu dék.

9. Care must be taken to distinguish between the uses of 呌 giéu and 請 chiāng, the former being used to children and servants, and the latter to equals and superiors. Call that child here, 呌許一隻伲仔來只塊 Giéu hṳ̄ siŏh ciáh niê-guāng lì-cŭ-uái. Ask that gentleman to come here, 請許一位先生過來 Chiāng hṳ̄ siŏh ôi Sìng-săng guó lì.

10. 男 Nàng and 女 nṳ̄, male and female, are restricted in their use to the human race. 角 Gae̤k or 公 gē̤ng male and 牳 mō̤ female are used to denote the gender of birds and animals: 雞角 giĕ-gaé̤k cock, 雞牳 giĕ-mō̤ hen. Gē̤ng and gáe̤k are frequently interchanged, but where gaé̤k may be used for male of both birds and quadrupeds, gē̤ng is a term restricted to quadrupeds.

11. The word “cold” is translated in different ways, according to its different uses. 清 Chéng is used in speaking of wind and weather, and the whole of the human body. The wind is very cold today, 今旦風盡清 Gĭng-dăng hŭng cêng chéng. Are you cold? 汝⿰亻鞋清賣 Nṳ̄ â̤ chéng mâ̤? 凍 Dáe̤ng is used of water, and parts of the body. This water is too cold, 者水恰凍 Ciā cūi kák dáe̤ng. His feet are cold, 伊其㬵凍 i gì kă dáe̤ng.

12. There are several words meaning “to cut” which have to be used with discrimination as to their exact meaning. 割 Gák is used for severing with a knife, as 割胄 gák dêu, to cut growing rice. 削 Sióh means to carve, to slice, to chop small; carve one slice, 削一片 sióh sióh piéng. Gă and 剪 cēng are used for cutting with scissors or shears; 剪花樣 cēng huă-iông, to cut flower patterns.

Note (1) 湯 Tŏng is used for hot water. 滾 Gūng expresses the rolling action of water in ebullition, hence gūng-tŏng means boiling water. (2) “To take cold” is not translated by either of the words for “cold” given in the vocabulary. A special term 風寒 hŭng-hāng is used for this meaning. He has caught cold, 伊務風寒 ĭ ô hŭng-hàng.

EXERCISE VII.

糖 tòng

sugar

鹽 sièng

salt (noun)

通知 tŭng-dĭ

to notify

索 só̤h

rope

鹹 gèng

salt (flavour)

餐 ciāng

insipid

鮮 chiĕng

fresh

房裏 bùng-dīe

bed-room

和和熱 huò-huò-iĕk

tepid.

去循環 kó̤ sùng-kùang

to go on circuit, itinerate

洗身湯 sā̤-sĭng-tŏng

bath water

飯廳 buông-tiăng

dining-room

Translate into English:—

1. Ĭ lì lāu muôi?
2. Siông-Dá̤ chă̤-kiēng Géu-Ciō lì.
3. Cuòi ô dâng mò̤? Mò̤ dâng.
4. Hṳ̄ siŏh-guó uâ, nṳ̄ gōng dék kák ká̤.
5. Ĭ kiè lè̤ diōng kó̤.
6. Ĭ mâ̤ giàng diōng lì.
7. Ĭ gì uâ sê lê-hâi, nâ ĭ gì é-sé̤ṳ hê hō̤.
8. Ciā tŏng kák ciāng. Nè̤ng-gă ó̤i-dĭh siŏh-dĕk-giāng sièng.
9. Hṳ̄ siŏh cê siā uòng lāu, kī-daê̤ng nṳ̄ dò̤ cṳ̆ gáu nè̤ng-gă cŭ-nái.
10. Cī siŏh guó uâ ô dâng.
11. Dò̤ siŏh-dék-giāng gūng-tŏng lì páu dà.
12. Chiāng nṳ̄ sĕng kó̤ tŭng-dĭ ĭ, nè̤ng-gă cêu lì.
13. Nṳ̄ giàng kák mâing, giàng ká̤ siŏh-dék-giāng.
14. Tòng sê diĕng.
15. Nṳ̆k-tŏng sê gèng.
16. Nè̤ng-gă ô siŏh-dék-giāng ngê-lè̤ng. Kī-daê̤ng nṳ̄ gōng uâ mâing siŏh-dék-giāng.

Translate into Chinese:—

1. Where was this bought?
2. It was bought outside the city.
3. Why did you not buy it inside the city?
4. Tell him to come back.
5. He can lift it.
6. Please bring me a little hot water. Not too hot, tepid wil ldo.
7. I want to say two Chinese sentences. Will you kindly listen, sir, and tell me if they are correct.
8. There were hundreds of people in the street listening to him preach.
9. I have heard him speak Chinese. He speaks fluently.
10. I have ridden a donkey, and travelled by boat, but have not yet ridden in a sedan chair.
11. He has not got up yet. His mother says he is ill.
12. When you return, please take your elder brother’s book with you.
13. Tell him to get up and take this box away.
14. This bath water is too cold, bring a little boiling water.
15. When you have finished talking, kindly listen to me.