Handbook of the Swatow Vernacular/Notes—Commercial

by Lim Hiong Seng

Lesson XXX.
Notes—Commercial.

燭臺壹對若干錢

Chek-tâi chék-tùi jiéh-tsōi chîⁿ?

How much for a pair of these candle-sticks?

兩員半

Nõⁿ-khou-pùaⁿ

Two dollars and a half.

爾出巳多

Lṳ́ tshut jiéh-tsõi?

How much do you offer.

我此刻正在彼處買壹員柒角半

Uá chí-tsûn chiàⁿ-tõ hièⁿ-thâu bói chék-tùi, khou chhit-kak-pùaⁿ

I have just bought a pair from there for $1-75.

在何間舖買

Tõ tî-chék-koiⁿ phòu bói?

From which shop have you just bought them?

在順合隔壁

Tõ Sũn-háh keh-piah

Next to (chop) Sun-hah.

順合個貨不可比阮個

Sũn-háh kâi-hùe m̄-móⁿ ún--kâi

Sun-hah's goods cannot be compared with our goods.

阮個俱皆是正上海個

Ún--kâi lóng-tsóng sĩ chiàⁿ Siāng-hái--kâi

Ours are all genuine Shanghai goods.

無假個

Bô-ké--kâi

None are false.

太値錢我不敢買

Khah-tát-chîⁿ, uá m̄-káⁿ-bói

They are too costly, I dare not buy.

誰人是財主

Tî-tiâng sĩ tshâi-tsú?

Who is the proprietor (of the shop)?

財主在此內

Tshâi-tsú tõ hṳ́-lãi

The proprietor is inside.

苦船到來。要呌伊去起貨

Húe-tsṳ̂n kâu--lâi, àiⁿ-kiè i khṳ̀ khí-hùe

The steamer has arrived, I want to ask him to go and unload his cargo.

我與此間雜港行。交易多

Uá kah chí-koiⁿ Tsáp-káng-háng kau-kuan tsōi

I have a large transaction with this German firm.

與荷蘭西行。有交易或無

Kah Hô-lan-se hâng nē, ũ kau-kuan a-bô?

And with the French firms, do you have any transaction?

有零些亞。我識寄去法國賣物

Ũ--lân-ló ā, uá pat kià-khṳ̀ Huap-kok--kò bói-muéh

Well, a little, I have ordered something from France.

我與大英國人就大交易也

Uá kah Tãi-eng-kok-nâng chiũ tūa kau-kuan nō

Oh, I do much business with Englishmen.

我上英國人

Uá siãng Eng-kok-nâng

I like Englishmen.

花旗行倒賬了

Hue-kî-hâng tó-tièⁿ--lō

The American firm is bankrupt.

葵扇壹枝若干錢

Kûe-sìⁿ chék-ki jiéh-tsōi chîⁿ?

How much for a palm-leaf fan?

壹枝捌個錢

Ki poih-kâi chîⁿ

Eight cash each.

此近時無生理

Chí-chùaⁿ-sî bô seng-lí

My trade is very dull of late.

恁個生理好𤍠

Nín-kâi seng-lí hoh-jiêt

Your trade is pretty brisk.

四個銀。弍式。四個錢

Sì-kâi-ngṳ̂n, nõⁿ-sek sì-kâi chîⁿ

Four dollars, twenty cents and four cash.

百伍個錢

Peh-ngõu kâi chîⁿ

Hundred and fifty cash.

陸斤四

Lák-kṳn-si

Six catties and four taels.

弍斤半

Nõⁿ-kṳn-pùaⁿ

Two catties and a half.

爾枝秤減

Lṳ́ ki chhìn siám

Your scale is not correct.

頂正。不可頂減

Téng-chiàⁿ, m̄-móⁿ téng-siám

Weigh properly, and don't cheat in weighing.

個銀携去找錢

Kâi-ngṳ̂n khiéh-khṳ̀ táu-chîⁿ

Take the dollar and change it into cash.

個銀不足重。無七弍

Kâi-ngṳ̂n m̄-kàu-tãng, bô chhit-jī

The dollar is short in weight, it's not 7 candareens and 2 mace.

鬧𤍠

Lãu-jiét.

A phrase used by customers or visitor on leaving the shop, which means may your shop be crowded with customers.