Tone marks have been omitted, not because tones are deemed unimportant, for they certainly should be observed, especially in some cases, as in distinguishing between shü 水 water and shü 書 book, between ping 氷 ice, and ping 餅 cake, &c., &c.; but there seemed to be so much uncertainty about the tones of many words, that it was deemed safer to leave the student to learn them from the teacher, rather than from marks. The marks on the accented syllables will aid the learner in pronouncing correctly. Although great pains have been taken to have the accents correctly marked, yet errors will doubtless be found, and difference of opinion will exist as to their proper location in many words.
Teachers differ so greatly, in accent, in their mode of defining, and in their pronunciation, both of the colloquial, and of the character, that there is room for endless criticism, and, moreover, it is not to be expected that the first book of its kind can at all approach perfection. A perfect vocabulary could only result from the combined wisdom and experience of many. If however this little work shall aid any one in acquiring a knowledge of this widely spoken dialect, or if it should incite some one of greater attainments and experience, to make a perfect Ningpo vocabulary, the labor it has cost will not have been in vain.
We here thank heartily those who have encouraged or aided us in any way, and especially the Rev. J. A. Leyenberger, who has assisted in various ways, and who kindly furnishes the Syllabary, which follows the preface, and also a list of Geographical names, which will be found at the end of the volume.
