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

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

LESSON XVII.

粟 chióh

unhusked rice

近 gê̤ṳng

near

滿 muāng

full

等 dīng

to wait

被 puôi

bedquilt

丈 daûng

ten feet

寸 cháung

an inch

害 hâi

to injure

貯 diō

to hold, contain

受 sêu

to endure, sign of passive

乞 ké̤ṳk

sign of passive

患 huâng

to contract a disease

吃虧 kék-kŭi

to suffer, to be in difficulties

可比 kō̤-bī

for instance

前日

sèng-nĭk, formerly

舊底

gô-dā̤

拍算 páh-sáung

to estimate, calculate

厚 gaû

thick, generous

薄 bŏ̤h

thin

論 lâung

to discuss

像 chiông

to resemble

試 ché

to try

裝 cŏng

to load

自 cê̤ṳ

from

倉 chŏng

a rice bin

跟 gṳ̆ng

to follow

一下 siŏh-â

a short time

可憐 kō̤-lèng

to pity

好像 hō̤-chiông

as if, like

量 liòng

to measure

1. The words “contain,” “hold” in English are applied indiscrimately to everything that has capacity to contain. In Chinese a special verb is used for each meaning, according to the nature of the thing spoken of. That chapel will seat ninety people, 許一隻禮拜堂⿰亻鞋坐的九十𠆧 Hṳ̄ siŏh-ciáh lā̤-bái-dòng â̤ sô̤i-dék gāu-sĕk nè̤ng. How many loads of rice will this boat hold? 只一條船⿰亻鞋裝的粟箬壞担 Cī siŏh-dèu sùng â̤ cŏng-dék chióh niŏh-uâi dáng?

2. Phrases involving the meaning of measurement, height, etc. How long is this? 嚽務箬壞長 Cuōi ô niŏh-uâi dòng? That is forty-five feet three inches long, 回長務四丈半零三寸 Huòi dòng ó sé dâung buáng lìng săng cháung. That mountain is very high, 許一座山野高 Hṳ̄ siŏh-cô̤ săng iā gèng. My house is not very high, 儂家其厝毛箬壞高 Nè̤ng-gă gì chió mò̤ niŏh-uái gèng.

3. In speaking of experimenting, trying, the word for “see” is used in the idiom. Try and do it, 試看 Ché káng or 試做看 Ché có̤ káng. Measure it and see, 量看 Liông káng.

4. Similarity and contrast. Similarity is expressed by 像 chiông, 可比 kō̤-bī, 共 gâe̤ng. 賣像 Mâ̤ chiông indicates want of similarity. There is a little likeness, 像一滴仔 Chiông siŏh-dék-giāng. Not alike: 賣像 Mâ̤-chiông The Bible is like a lamp, 聖經可比一盞燈馬 Séng-Gĭng kō̤-bī siŏh-cāng dĭng-mā. He speaks like a Chinaman, 伊講話共中國其𠆧一樣 I gōng-uâ gâe̤ng Dṳ̆ng-guók gì nè̤ng siŏh iông.

5. The word “by” in English sentences relating to measure, sale, is translated in Chinese by the word 論 lûong to discuss. This gives an indication of the haggling which accompanies Chinese bargains. Rice is bought by weight and cloth is bought by measure, 米是論斤買其布是論尺買其 Mī sê lâung gṳ̆ng mā̤ gì, buó sê lâung chióh mā̤ gì. By the day, 論日 Lâung nĭk.

6. To indicate the Passive Voice, sometimes merely the verb to be, is used, at other times ké̤ṳk, sêu, páh and giéng (see former lessons) are used. This was broken by him, 嚽是乞伊破去 cuòi sê ké̤uk ĭ púai-kó̤. I have been injured by him, 儂家受伊其害了 Nè̤ng-gŭ sêu ĭ gì hâi lāu. He was moved by the Holy Spirit, 伊受聖神感動 I sêu Sêng-Sĭng gāng-dông. Jesus suffered for us, 耶穌替奴各𠆧受苦 Ià-Sŭ tá̤ nù-gáuk-nè̤ng sêu kū. He was beaten, 伊乞𠆧拍 I ké̤ṳk nè̤ng páh. What disease is he suffering from? 伊患世乇病 I huâng sié-nó̤h bâng?

7. To express the idea of a short time, 一下 siŏh â is used. It also indicates a downward motion. Wait a while, 等一下 Dīng siŏh-â. Give him a push, 乞伊捵一下 Ké̤ṳk ĭ tiāng siŏh-â.

8. The phrase “from this time forth” is translated by using 自 cê̤ṳ and 由 iù for “from”. From the beginning until now, 自起頭至仱 Cê̤ṳ kī-tàu gáu dăng.

9. 一 Siŏh one, is sometimes used with verbs to give the power of the Perfect Participle, denoting completed action, but also introducing some other action as the result of the first. As soon as I heard this voice I knew who he was, 儂家一聽見伊其聲音就曉的是俤𠆧 Nè̤ng-gă siŏh tiăng-giéng ĭ gì siăng-ĭng cêu hiēu-dék sê diè-nè̤ng.

EXERCISE XVII.

笝 năk

bamboo towline

拔 bĕk

pull, haul

賞賜 siōng-sé̤ṳ

reward, gift

點心 diēng-sĭng

refreshments

天晴 tiĕng-sàng

fine weather

雨傘 ṳ̄-sāng

umbrella

生鍟 săng-sĭng

rust

危險 ngùi-hiēng

danger

衆 cé̤ṳng

all

扯 tiē

to rip, pull apart

教訓 gáu-hóng

instruction

門生 muòng-sĕng

disciples

Translate into English:—

1. Ĭ ô bâng lâng-gá nguòk-nĭk hṳ̄ òng.
2. Nṳ̄ gōng-uâ cī-muāng ká̤, ceû ék-dêng â̤ dâng.
3. Cuòi mò̤ niŏh-uâi dâe̤ng, muōng ché káng.
4. Hō̤-chiông nè̤ng-gă o̤í-dĕk ĭ gì cièng!
5. Lâung nĭk, siŏh-nĭk siŏh-báh cièng.
6. Nṳ̄ lŏ̤h cŭ-uái muōng hiók siŏh-â; diô cêng huông, nṳ̄ muôi gáu dó̤i ék-dêng â sĭng-kū.
7. Ng-tĕ̤ng gōng, Sāi-sùng gì nè̤ng tuă só̤h kó̤, mì-dŭk diŏh ciŏng-uâng gōng, Sāi sùng gì nè̤ng bĕk năk, ceû hō̤
8. Ĭ sĭk-câi kék-kŭi. Nù-gáuk-nè̤ng kō̤-lèng ĭ, nâ mò̤ sié-nó̤h huŏng-huák bŏng-câe̤ ĭ.
9. Ĭ sê ô é có̤ cī siŏh-iông gì dâi.
10. Cī-siŏh-dáng kák dâe̤ng.
11. Giéu ĭ-gaúk-nè̤ng sĕng giàng, guó siŏh-â nè̤ng-gă gṳ̆ng ĭ lì.
12. Diŏh Dṳ̆ng-guók gô-dā̤ mò̤ sié-nó̤h nguôi-guók gì nè̤ng. Hiêng-câi ô cêng-sâ̤ có̤ sĕng-é lièng diòng-dô̤ gì nè̤ng.
13. Dīng siŏh-â, nè̤ng-gă chă-bók-dŏ̤ tĕ̤k uòng-lāu cī siŏh-ciŏng.
14. Céṳng-nè̤ng gì-dĕk ĭ gáu-hóng, ĭng ĭ gá nè̤ng chiông ô guòng-báng gì nè̤ng ng-chiông ciā tĕ̤k-cṳ̆-nè̤ng.
15. Ô lā tĕ̤k-cṳ̆-nè̤ng lì gâe̤ng Ià-Sŭ gōng, Sĭng-săng ā, ng lâung nṳ̄ kó̤ diê ôi-ché̤ṳ nguāi buóh gṳ̆ng nṳ̄. (Matt. 8.19)

Translate into Chinese:—

1. God pitied men and sent the Savior.
2. If you believe in Jesus all the sins of the past are remitted.
3. The street is crowded with people.
4. How large do you want this made?
5. He did not intend to injure me.
6. This box is already packed full. I have no room for any more things.
7. I am not accustomed to hear Chinese spoken.
8. His clothes are both beautiful and costly.
9. Measure the cloth and see if it is enough. It is several inches short.
10. Try and make the bed nicely. I have guests coming today, and I want them to see every place looking nice.
11. This pain is unbearable.
12. This bedquilt is very thick. Ours are all too thin, and we are very cold at night.
13. This child resembles its parents. It is easy to see whose child it is
14. When you go on the street, please buy me thirty feet of rope.
15. He therefore which heareth these words of mine and doeth them shall be likened unto a wise man which built his house upon rock.