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

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

LESSON XVI.

香 hiŏng

incense

圍 ùi

to surround, beseige

保 bō̤

to protect, guarantee,

權柄 guòng-báng

authority

內 nô̤i

within

留 làu

to detain

另外 lêng-nguôi

besides, in addition

守 siū

to guard, keep

隻 ciáh

just now, only, then

面 méng

a surface, side, face

住 cê̤ṳ

to dwell, an aux. verb

遮 ciă

to cover

法 huák

method, plan, law

時常 sì-siòng

constantly

一粒珍珠 siŏh-lăk dĭng-ciŏ

a pearl

才能 cài-nèng

power

餘剩 ṳ́-diông

the remainder

盡 cêng

entirely

失 sék

to lose, a fault

粗 chŭ

coarse

幼 éu

small, fine

實在 sĭk-câi

really

扼 aík

to press with the hand

鴨 ák

a duck

好處 hō̤-ché̤ṳ

benefit

除 dṳ̀

to exclude, except

仅 bô

also, again

忽然間 huók-iòng-găng

suddenly

霎時間 sák-sì-găng

suddenly

肘肘 diū-diū

just now, to happen

1. Chinese idioms differ widely from English idioms in many cases. At times a phrase rather than a word has to be translated, and one Chinese word may require the use of a whole phrase in English for its elucidation. Such is the case with the use of the construction involving the word 隻 ciáh, which signifies “by this means only.” Sometimes it signifies time just elapsed, as “he has just gone” 伊隻隻去 I ciáh-ciáh kó̤. 肘 Diū also has this meaning, and the preceding sentence may be rendered, 伊肘肘去 ĭ diū diū kó̤. It is always used duplicated. You must believe in Jesus then you will be saved, 着信耶穌隻⿰亻鞋得救 Diŏh séng Ià-Sŭ ciáh á̤ dáik géu. None but those who worship God can obtain true benefit, 㑚拜上帝其𠆧隻⿰亻鞋得真其好處 Nû bái Siông-Dá̤ gì nè̤ng ciáh â̤ dáik cĭng gì hō̤-ché̤ṳ.

2. 住 Cê̤ṳ to dwell, is used as an auxiliary verb with 靠 kó̤ to trust, and is an example of the way in which auxiliary verbs are used with their particular predicates, not being like the English auxiliaries “can, will,” and others, which may be used with any verb. He is an untrustworthy man, 伊是靠不住其𠆧 I sê kó̤-bók-cê̤ṳ gì nè̤ng.

3. Sentences relating to inclusion, exclusion, exception. Your money is included, 汝其錢在內 Nṳ̄ gì cièng câi nô̤i. More than six thousand men besides women and children, 除伲仔哥連諸娘𠆧以外𠆧務六千零 Dṳ̀ niê-giāng-gŏ̤ lièng cṳ̆-niòng-nè̤ng ī-nguói nè̤ng ô lĕ̤k-chiĕng lìng. Including both fine and coarse ones there are twenty five, 粗連幼其合禮務二十五隻 Chŭ lièng éu gì hăk-lā̤ ô nê-sĕk-ngô ciáh. We ourselves even are in fault, 汝各𠆧也務過失 nṳ̄-gaúk-nè̤ng iâ ô guó-sé̤k. Give him five dollars extra, 另外乞伊五塊番 Lêng-nguôi ké̤ṳk í ngô dó̤i huăng. How many dollars have you left? 番錢故務剩幾塊呢 Huăng-cièng gó-ô diông gūi-dó̤i nì? I have four left, 奴故務剩四塊 Nù gó-ô diông sé dó̤i.

4. Continued action and the imperfect participle, 禮 lā̤ used with the verb, preceded by 故 gó forms imperfect participle and expresses continued action. He is still writing, 伊故禮寫字 I gó lā̤ siā cê. He is still speaking, 伊故禮講話 I gó lā̤ gōng uâ.

5. Simultaneous action is referred to, either by a phrase or by one or two words as “at the same time,” “meanwhile”, “both---and” e.g. “both hearing and answering questions.” Chinese idioms usually prefers the latter form or the repetition of 仅 bô. 莽 Muōng. is also used to denote continuous simultaneous action. He talks as he lays the table, 伊禮排棹仅禮講話 ĭ lā̤ bà̤ dó̤h bô lā̤ gōng-uâ. He preaches as he travels, 伊莽䟰路莽 ĭ muōng giàng diô muōng 講道理 gōng dô̤-li. That blind man’s clothes are both dirty and ragged, 那青盲其衣裳仅拉渣仅破 Hiā chăng màng-gì ĭ-siòng bô lă că bô puái.

6. 盡 Cêng and 賣盡 mâ̤ cêng are used with verbs to denote exhaustion of the action, or, the impossibility of being exhausted. His money is all used up, 伊其錢用盡了 ĭ-gì cièng ê̤ṳng cêng lāu. I cannot tell all, 儂家講賣盡 Nè̤ng-gă gōng mâ̤ cêng.

7. The word 法 huák is used to denote the manner of action, or the method employed. It is done this way, 是將換做法 Se ciōng-uâng có̤-huák. I have no resource, 儂家毛法 Nè̤ng-gă mò̤ huák. 方法 Huŏng-huák. and 法度 huák-dô are also used with the meaning of method, plan.

EXERCISE XVI.

受洗禮 sêu sā̤-lā̤

to be baptised

隔暝 gáh màng

to pass the night

應承 éng-sìng

to promise

愁苦 chèu-kū

sad, sorry

仈倍 báik-buôi

unlucky

寶貝 bō̤-buói

precious

碎 chó̤i

bits, odds & ends

鬧 nâu

quarrel

尅 káík

crowded, pressed for room

菜 chái

vegetables

捵倒 tiāng dō̤

overturn

稱 chĭng

designate, call

Translate into English:—

1. Nṳ̄ ng séng Ià-Sŭ, hâiu-lài săng miéh-sèk.
2. Ĭ-gáuk-nè̤ng siàng-nô̤i bṳ̆-cê̤ṳ.
3. Diŏh aī-kó̤ Ià-Sŭ, ciáh â̤ dáik cĭng hō̤-ché̤ṳ.
4. Nṳ̄ dióh sì-siòng tĕ̤k Séng-Gĭng. ī-hâiu ciáh â̤ gōng dô̤-lī.
5. Nè̤ng-gă tá̤ ĭ chèu-kū. Ĭ sĭk-câi sê bāik-buôi, táu-dā̤ mâ̤ huák-cài.
6. Nè̤ng-gă gì é-sé̤ṳ cêu-sê diŏh Iòng-bìng gáh-màng, mì-dŭk kī-sĭng cêng dì, nâ gaú Uòng-dài.
7. Siông siŏh lā̤-bai ô sé-ciáh nè̤ng sêu sā̤-lā̤. Gaú-dòng nè̤ng sô̤i muāng kó̤.
8. Có̤

bâ-nā̤ gì káng ì gì niê-giāng gó bō̤-buói guó dĭng-ciŏ.

1. Sùng-ciō ó̤ nù-gáuk-nè̤ng mìng dáng lì, ĭng ì gì sùng cêng káik, nâ nù-gáuk-nè̤ng mò̤-huák diŏh gĭng-dáng lì, ĭng ô dâi-gié.
2. Lī Sĭng-săng-niòng diŏh chió mò̤? Ĭ gĭng-dáng dŭ mò̤ diŏh chió, diū-diū ciáh diōng lì.
3. Gó ô buông mò̤? ô, ceû ké̤ṳk kiê diŏh muòng-kāu lā̤ hṳ̄ siŏh-ciáh gṳ̀ng nè̤ng siăh.
4. Diē nè̤ng gì chió ceû tá̤ ĭ giù bìng-ăng; ĭ cī siŏh-ciō nâ â̤ dáik bìng-ăng, ceû nṳ̄ sū giù gì bìng-ăng dék-dék gáu ĭ.
5. Ià-Sŭ gâe̤ng ĭ gōng, Nṳ̄ éng gì uâ sê hō̤, nṳ̄ bìng ciŏng-uâng có̤.
6. Ià-Sŭ gâe̤ng ĭ gōng, Séng-Gĭng ô gōng, nguāi gì chió dék-dék chĭng có̤ gì-dō̤ gì chió.

Translate into Chinese:—

1. Why is Ping Muo not studying? Because his eyes ache, and the doctor says that he must not look at books.
2. Even his life was in danger.
3. I shall start for Ku-cheng tomorrow.
4. Wrap that thing up.
5. I have done nothing important today, but have been doing odds and ends of work.
6. If those boys constantly quarrel you must beat them.
7. This cloth is too coarse for summer garments.
8. Please ask Mr. Lau not to hinder me. I have important business in the city.
9. This door is very heavy, and I cannot push it open. Please help me.
10. The man suddenly stood up and walked out. I have not seen him since.
11. When I arrived, I heard that my son was sick. Is the illness serious? No, he has only caught a cold.
12. These vegetables are not cooked enough. They are uneatable.
13. Mr. Ding tells me that his mother is poorly and that he wants to return home for a few days.
14. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy strength.
15. Jesus cast out these that sold and bought, and overturned the tables of the money changers.