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

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

LESSON XX.

隔壁 gáh-biáh

next door

醫 ĭ

to cure or heal diseases

醫 muŏk

do do

埋葬 muài-cáung

to bury

着面前 diŏh méng-sèng

in the presence of, in front of

相議 sŏng-ngiê

to talk over

倚望 āi-uông

to hope

攔阻 làng-cū

to hinder, prevent

擔擱 dăng-gó̤h

to hinder

安 ĕng

to place in position

親 chĭng

intimate, oneself

辦 bâing

to manage

福音 hók-ĭng

the Gospel

親眼看見 chĭng-ngāng káng-giéng

to see with one’s own eyes

本身 buōng-sĭng

oneself

藥 iŏh

medicine

專門 ciòng-muòng

wholly

別乇 bĕk-nó̤h

other

變 biéng

to change

發 huák

to manifest

野講 iā-gōng  亂講 lâung-gōng

to tell lies

以致 ī-dé

so that

我寧願 nguāi nìng-nguông

I would rather

㬵 kă

foot

繙譯 huăng-ĭk

to translate

怪 gúai

to be offended with

罵 má

to curse

非 hĭ

bad, negative

解說 gā̤-siók

to explain

1. In the first lesson, 自家 cê-gă is given as the reflexive pronoun, meaning “self”, attached to personal pronouns or proper nouns. 親 Chĭng is also used reflexively, but has no possessive form. I saw him with my own eyes, 儂家親眼看見 Nè̤ng-gă chĭng-ngāng káng-giéng. This was written with my own pen, 嚽是奴親筆寫其 Cuòi sê nù chĭng-bék siā gì. He killed him with his own hand, 伊親手刣伊 I chĭng-chiū tài ĭ.

2. 本 Buōng has at times a reflexive use. It is not any one else, it is myself that is sick, 伓是別𠆧是儂家本身務病 Ng sê bĕk-nè̤ng sê nè̤ng-gă buōng-sĭng ô bâng. He came himself, 伊本身來 I buōng-sĭng lì. Connected with this meaning of 本 buōng is that of native articles versus foreign. Native medicine is not as good as foreign, 本地其藥毛拿外國其藥 Buōng-dê gì iŏh mò̤ niăh nguói̤-guók gì iŏk. He is native of these parts, 伊是本地𠆧 I sê buōng-dê nè̤ng.

3. The expressions “so”, “so that”, “in as much” etc. have many equivalents in Chinese, but the commonest in Foochow Colloquial is 以致 ī-dé. 甚至 Sêng-cé, up to the point of. 以致 I-dé is used with the idea that certain issues are produced by matters having reached a certain point. God so loved the world as to send His Son, 上帝極愛世間其𠆧 以致差遣伊其仔來 Siông-Dá̤ gĭk tiáng sié-găng gì nè̤ng, ī-dé chă̤-kiēng ĭ gì Giāng lì. He loved them up to the point of giving up His life for them, 伊愛伊各𠆧甚至替伊各𠆧捨命 I tiáng ĭ-gáuk-nè̤ng sêng-cé tá̤ ĭ-gáuk-nè̤ng siā-miâng.

4. The following sentences involve the meaning of “drop”, let fall. Notice in the examples that there are two words used with the meaning “fall” 跋倒 buák-dō̤ being generally applied to persons, and 逷 dâung to things. My pencil has dropped on the floor, 儂家其筆逷落地下 Nè̤ng-gă gì bék dâung lŏh dê-â. Be careful not to let that child fall, 細貳伓通乞伲仔跋倒 Sá̤-nê ng tĕ̤ng ké̤ṳk niê-giāng buăk-dō̤.

5. When we have a choice before us of certain things or lines of action, we at once set up a comparison of these in our minds, and decide upon whichever commends itself to our judgment. This choice or preference is usually expressed in English by the words “rather.... than”, “it is better so.....than,” which may be separated or stand together. Chinese idiom generally takes the word “rather” alone, certain forms being used after it as correspondent particles. This choice or preference is expressed in Foochow Colloquial by by 甯願 nìng-nguông, and 歡喜 huăng-hi. It is better to be cursed than to die, 甯願乞𠆧罵伓通野講 Nìng-nguông ké̤ṳk nè̤ng má ng tĕ̤ng iā-gōng.

6. The word “only”, is used in English in two senses, to qualify either a noun or a verb, as “an only son”, “he does one thing only”. In this latter phrase it conveys the idea that a person is engrossed with one thing, and that it is his wonted habit to do it. This in Foochow Colloquial is expressed by 專 ciŏng in combination with 心 sĭng or 門 muòng and also by 別其 bĕk-gì or 別乇 bĕk-nó̤h other, combined with a negative. Jesus gave up Himself to doing good, 耶穌是專心做好代 Ià-Sŭ sê ciŏng-sĭng có̤ hō̤ dâi. You must do nothing but preach the Gospel, 汝別乇代伓通做㑚專門傅福音 Nṳ̄ bĕk-nó̤h dâi ng tè̤ng có̤ nâ ciŏng-muòng diòng Hók-ĭng. He does nothing but injure us, 別乇代伊伓做㑚害我就是 Bĕk-nó̤h dâi ĭ ng có̤, nâ hâi nguāi cêu sê.

7. 發 Huák conveys the idea of manifestation and development, and expression in action. To show compassion, 發心 Huák-sīng. To get rich, 發財 Huák-cài.

8. The word 隔 gáh is often equivalent to the English word “interval” and is applied to both time and distance. Take this medicine every other day, 者藥隔一日食一回 Ciā iŏh gák siŏh-nĭk siăh siŏh-huòi. There is a sick man next door, 隔壁務一隻破病其𠆧 Gáh-biáh ô siŏh-ciáh puái-bâng gì nè̤ng. Mr. Li lives next door but one, 李先生隔二橺厝許塊葤 Lī Sĭng-săng gáh lâng-găng chió hŭ-uái dêu.

9. One particular Chinese construction is the stringing of four words to form a phrase. Such phrases are very common in colloquial Chinese though often derived from the book language. Though much compressed in form they are very expressive. They are best learnt in direct conversation with the people. Of the same mind, 一心一意 Ék-sĭng ék-é. Well intentioned, 好心好意 Hō̤-sĭng hō̤-é. Undecided, 心意毛定着 Sĭng-é mó̤ diâng-diŏh. A hypocrite, 口是心非 Kēu-sê sing-hĭ. Early and late, 起早睏暗 Kī-cā káung-áng. Neither one thing or the other, 不三不四 Bók-săng bók-sé. All in confusion, 七㬵八手 Chék-kă báik-chiū.

EXERCISE XX.

bù-sìng

fly

花 huă

flowers

魚 ngṳ̀

fish

空 kĕ̤ng

empty

染色 niēng-sáik

 

伙𠋡 huōi-sĭk

board (food)

岸 ngiâng

bank of river

可疑 kō̤-ngì

to doubt

欠債 kiéng-cái

to be in debt

火爐 huōi-lù

fireplace

渡 dô

to ferry across

軟弱 niōng-iŏk

weak in body

Translate into English:—

1. Tiĕng có̤ biéng, nè̤ng-gă siōng â̤ dâung ṳ̄.
2. Ĭ siŏh gă-siók, nè̤ng-gă cêu huôi-é.
3. Cī siŏh-guó uâ, nè̤ng-gă mâ̤ huăng-ĭk dék-lì.
4. Nguāi-gáuk-nè̤ng diŏh cà̤ sŏng-tiáng.
5. Nù-gáuk-nè̤ng diŏh bìng ĭ hŭng-hó gì uâ kó̤ có̤.
6. Chiāng nṳ̄ mŏ̤h dăng-gó̤h, nguāi cêng gék.
7. Ciā buó nù mâ̤ dé̤ṳng-é, chiāng cái dò̤ bĕk-iông ké̤ṳk nù káng.
8. Kō̤-sék nè̤ng-gă mò̤ bék-nó̤h iông-sék gì buó, cṳ̀i â̤ sāi-dék mâ̤?
9. Mā gâe̤ng lè̤ gì hŭng-biék nṳ̄ â̤ hiēu-dék mâ̤? Mâ̤ hiēu-dék. Ŏh-ciŏng-uâng ng-tĕ̤ng sāi nṳ̄ kó̤ mā̤ mā, miēng-dék nṳ̄ mā̤ siŏh-tàu lè̤ lì.
10. Nù āi-uông mò̤ niŏh òng cái giéng nṳ̄. Siâ-siâ, nâ mò̤ nó̤h dăng-gó̤h, màng-nièng cái lì.
11. Báh-sáng lŏ̤h Lō̤-diă gì méng-sèng sê cêng kó̤ kiĕng-hṳ̆.
12. Ciā iŏh cêng kū, ô bĕk-nó̤h iông mò̤?
13. Kī-dâe̤ng nṳ̄ tá̤ nguāi huăng-ĭk cī siŏh-guó uâ, ĭng ciā é-sé̤ṳ mò̤ chĭng-chū.
14. Nṳ̄ ó̤i nè̤ng ciŏng-iông káng-dâi nṳ̄, nṳ̄ iâ diŏh ciŏng-iông káng-dâi nè̤ng.
15. Ià-Sŭ éng ĭ gōng, ciŏng nṳ̄ sū giéng sū tiăng gì dâi diōng-kó̤ gâe̤ng ĭ gōng, cêu sê chăng-màng â̤ káng-giéng, piāng-kă â̤ giàng, ngê-lè̤ng â̤ tiăng-giéng, sī-nè̤ng â̤ bô-uăk, gṳ̀ng nè̤ng â̤ tiăng-giéng Hók-Ĭng gì dô̤-lī.

Translate into Chinese:—

1. First talk the matter over, then act.
2. God’s kingdom will increase.
3. Jesus healed the deaf, the lame and the dumb.
4. He did not catch the ball, as the window was broken.
5. My son’s foot is bad. The doctor says that it is incurable, and fears that he will be lame.
6. If your teacher cuts your conduct marks you ought to be ashamed.
7. Put the lamp on the table, I cannot see to read.
8. The man cursed me and would not go away for a long time.
9. He has not managed this affair at all well.
10. I have no patience with him. He is lazy.
11. Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I would not have believed that the would do such a wicked thing.
12. This fish is too salt, if we eat it we shall be very thirsty.
13. They perceived that he was not as other men.
14. Multitudes came to hear him preach, so that he had not leisure to eat.
15. Jesus saw the great multitudes about him thereupon he told his disciples to cross to the other side.
16. I did not say anything about buying his clothes, I only promised to help him with his board money.