Primary Lessons in Swatow Grammar

by William Ashmore

Primary Lessons

in

Swatow Grammar

[Colloquial]

by

Rev. William Ashmore D. D.

---

English Presbyterian Mission Press.

Swatow.

1884.

Preface.

The Grammatical Notes which here appear under the name of Primary Lessons, were gathered some years ago, but the writer did not deem them of sufficient value to seek their publication. A few months ago, through the favor of Rev. William Duffus, then having charge of the small but efficient press established by the English Presbyterian Mission, such an opportunity presented itself to have the Notes printed, that a desire was stimulated to see if they could be made helpful to beginners.

But now the writer was not yet recovered from a long attack of ophthalmia, and could not use his eyes to make the final preparation. In this emergency he was glad to avail himself of the generous offer of assistance from Miss Norwood. She transcribed the entire manuscript, and superintended its passage through the press. It is due to her, therefore, and to the indulgence of those in charge of the Presbyterian Mission Press that the book now appears. When occasional help was needed in proof reading, it was most kindly rendered by Mr. Duffus, Mr. Gibson, Mr. Partridge, and Mr. Ashmore, Jr. The improved list of “Sounds of the Letters” was prepared by Mr. Ashmore, Jr., and the Syllabary at the end, by Mr. Partridge.

To those who may pass judgment on the nature of the work, the writer has to ask that the design of the little book be kept in view. It is not intended as a setting forth of the usages and principles of Chinese grammar in general, but of the Swatow dialect only. Furthermore, it is an elementary work designed for beginners. If it shall help any of them to tide over some of the difficulties which meet them at the outset, until they shall be able to prepare more elaborate notes for themselves, the writer will be repaid for his labor, and will achieve all he dares hope for.

W. A.

Swatow, June, 1884.

EXPLANATIONS AND ERRATA.

In making translations of the Chinese sentences a uniform rule has not been adhered to. In some cases literal renderings are given. In others when the Chinese construction is readily apprehended, ordinary idiomatic English equivalents are preferred. To have given both literal and idiomatic English equivalents to the same Chinese sentence would have taken too much space.

The lists of Chinese equivalents for English Prepositions, Adverbs, and Interjections are meagre, but the pupil can largely add to the number by looking under the proper words in Mr. Duffus’, Vocabulary.

It is to be regretted that so many errata are to be found. In addition to those that follow are some minor ones, some of which could not be avoided. Thus, under “Interjections” there is a deficiency of exclamation points, owing to incompleteness in the font. Some others are found in connection with the use of capitals, and hyphen and punctuation marks. Lesson XX does not appear under its own proper designation. Through some oversight, it was incorporated in Lesson XIX. Blemishes of this kind may be pardoned when it is stated that, owing to absences in the country of proof readers, the final proof, in a few instances, was not seen at all before the sheets were struck off; and, that the two young Chinese compositors who set up the type do not know a word of English. They follow copy without knowing what it means. That they do their work so creditably is owing to the pains taken to train them by Mr. Duffus and Mr. Gibson.

Page 2 line	21	for	characters	read	characters.
Page„ 2„ line„	41	for„	but	read„	But.
Page„ 7 line„	4&5	for„	hùe	read„	húe.
Page„ 7„ line„	7	for„	that.	read„	this.
Page„ 9 line„	22	for„	hùaⁿ	read„	hàuⁿ.
Page„ 10 line„	11,12,13,32,34,&35	for„	tī	read„	tî.
Page„ 16 line„	26	for„	Gô	read„	Gôu.
Page„ 17 line„	18	for„	hó	read„	hô.
Page„ 17„ line„	27	for„	ngn̂	read„	ngṳ̂n.
Page„ 20 line„	39	for„	tõ	read„	kò.
Page„ 21 line„	26	for„	khṳ́	read„	khṳ̀.
Page„ 24 line„	21	omit	have.
Page„ 41 line„	33	for„	sin	read„	sim.
Page„ 42 line„	11	for„	thâng	read„	thàng.
Page„ 46 line„	4	for„	pigs and dogs	read„	thieves.
Page„ 59 line„	15	omit	or.
Page„ 59„ line„	20	for„	nâng	read„	mn̂g.
Page 60 line	30	for	chōiⁿ	read„	chōi.
Page„ 73 line„	36	for„	rubbed on him	read„	rubbed on by him.
Page„ 76 line„	1	for„	kṳ́	read„	kṳ̃.
Page„ 95 line„	29	for„	aganin	read„	again.
Page„ 114 line„	2	for„	ided	read	idea.
Page„ 115 line„	32	for„	á	read„	à.
Page„ 117 line„	5	for„	lẽng	read„	lêng.
Page„ 119 line„	25	for„	jien	read„	jiên.
Page„ 120 line„	25	for„	Gospee	read„	Gospel.
Page„ 121 line„	29	for„	uá	read„	ũ.
Page„ 127 for	Châu	read	chau.
Page„ 131 for„	chhiê	read„	chhiè.
Page„ 131„ for„	framents	read„	fragments.
Page„ 131„ for„	j gṳ̄, aed	read„	gṳ̄, jade.
Page„ 133 for„	Hiēⁿ	read„	Hieⁿ.
Page„ 137 under	kiē insert Kieⁿ, ginger. kiêⁿ, better.
Page„ 141 for,	Liap, a of small round classifier objects.
Page 141 read,	Lia̍p, a classifier of small round objects.
Page„ 141 for,	compainon	read	companion.
Page„ 142 for„	ló	read„	lô.
Page„ 142„ for„	lò	read„	ló.
Page„ 143 for„	Mak	read„	Ma̍k.
Page„ 143„ under	miâⁿ, a name,	insert	miāⁿ, life.
Page„ 144 for	Nauⁿ	read	Náuⁿ.
Page„ 149 under	Sie,	insert	sié, small.
Page„ 154 for	Thian	read	Thiau.
Page„ 154„ for„	thiân	read„	thiâu.
Page„ 155 for„	theives	read„	thieves.

CONTENTS.

Introduction	–	Page I
Grammar.		Page„ 1
LESSON I.	Pronouns.	Page„ 5
LESSON„ II.	Short Sentences	Page„ 6
LESSON„ III.	Short Sentences.	Page„ 7
LESSON„ IV.	Declension of Pronouns.	Page„ 8
LESSON„ V.	Sentences.	Page„ 9
LESSON„ VI.	Other Pronominal Words.	Page„ 10
LESSON„ VII.	Substantive Verb.	Page„ 11
LESSON„ VIII.	Possessive Verb.	Page„ 13
LESSON„ IX.	Interrogatives.	Page„ 15
LESSON„ X.	Time.	Page„ 18
LESSON„ XI.	Place, Direction, &c.	Page„ 20
LESSON„ XII.	Quantity.	Page„ 23
LESSON„ XIII.	The Article.	Page„ 25
LESSON„ XIV.	Prepositions and equivalents.	Page„ 27
LESSON„ XV.	Conjunctions.	Page„ 29
LESSON„ XVI.	Adverbs.	Page„ 31
LESSON„ XVII.	Interjections.	Page„ 33
LESSON„ XVIII.	Adjectives.	Page„ 36
LESSON„ XIX.	Resemblance.	Page„ 46
LESSON„ XX.	Difference.	Page„ 47
LESSON„ XXI.	Nouns.	Page„ 50
LESSON„ XXII.	Gender.	Page„ 56
LESSON„ XXIII.	Number.	Page„ 59
LESSON„ XXIV.	Verbs.	Page„ 51
LESSON„ XXV.	Conjugational Equivalents of Phah, to strike.	Page„ 67
LESSON„ XXVI.	Examples in the Active Voice.	Page„ 72
LESSON„ XXVII.	Various Passive Forms.	Page„ 73
LESSON„ XXVIII.	Mood Equivalents.	Page„ 75
LESSON„ XXIX.	Tense Equivalents.	Page„ 82
LESSON„ XXX.	Some Usages of Syntax.	Page„ 88
LESSON„ XXXI.	Growth of Sentences.	Page„ 91
LESSON„ XXXII.	Bits of Description.	Page„ 98
LESSON„ XXXIII.	Abbreviations.	Page„ 102
LESSON„ XXXIV.	Slang.	Page„ 104
LESSON„ XXXV.	Various Questions.	Page„ 107
LESSON„ XXXVI.	Words used in Teaching and Arguing.	Page„ 111
List of syllables representing the sounds used in pronouncing the Tie Chiu dialect.		Page„ 125