Primary Lessons in Swatow Grammar/Lesson IX

by William Ashmore

Interrogatives.

---

Interrogation is denoted by tî, who? what? which? tî-tiâng, who? whom? tî-kâi, which one? which? tî-kò, where? whence? mih, which? mih-kâi, which one? what? mih-nâng, which person? sĩ-mih, which? chò; chò-nî, how? why? chãi; hô, how? jie̍h, how much? how many? (applied to quantity and dimensions).

The particles mō, mē, and nē, at the end of sentences make them interrogative; also such words as būe, bô, and m̄ serve the same purpose.

The word kâi so constantly used in questions is in itself a classifier, but is easily made to do the work of a demonstrative pronoun, as is true, also, of other classifiers.

chí sĩ sĩ-mih-mue̍h,

what thing is this?

m̄-chai sĩ sĩ-mih-mue̍h,

I do not know what it is.

chí-kâi sĩ che̍k-pau-ie̍h,

this is a paper of medicine.

chí-kâi sĩ ba̍k-chúi,

this is ink.

chí sĩ sĩ-mih-kâi,

what is this?

chí-kâi sĩ siá-jī kâi khì-kũ,

these are writing materials.

chí-kâi sĩ thit-thô-mue̍h,

these are curiosities.

chí-kâi kiè-chò sĩ-mue̍h,

what do you call this thing?

chiá kiè-chò sĩ-mue̍h,

what do„ you call„ this„ thing?„

chí-kâi kiè-chò sõng-íⁿ,

this is called a rocking chair.

chí-kâi kiè-chò chhoiⁿ-lí-kiàⁿ,

this is called a telescope.

kâi sĩ-mue̍h,

what is this?

kâi sĩ chûn--ēng-kâi,

this is something used on the boat.

ũ sĩ-mih ì-sṳ̀,

what’s the idea?

m̄-chai sĩ-mih ì-sṳ̀,

I don’t know what the idea is.

õ, ì-sṳ̀ sĩ chièⁿ-seⁿ,

O, the idea is this.

i lâi mih-sṳ̄,

what business has he come on?

i-lâi bô-mih-sṳ̄,

he has not come on any business.

i-lâi tàⁿ-ūe,

he has come to speak (to somebody).

i-lâi chhūe chhin-nâng,

he has come to hunt a relative.

i-lâi lí pa̍t-nâng kâi-sṳ̄,

he has come on business for somebody else.

i-lâi bōi-mue̍h,

he has come to sell something.

i-sĩ tõ-chí khiã-khí a-m̄-sĩ,

does he live here?

i-bô tõ-chí khiã-khí,

he does not live here.

i put-kùe sĩ-lâi chò khang-khùe,

he only came to do work.

i-sĩ lâi-chò seng-lí,

he has come to do business.

lṳ́ bōi sĩ-mih-mue̍h?

what are you selling?

uá sĩ bōi-tê-liāu,

I am selling confectionary.

ũ-pa̍t-miâ hó-kiè a-bô?

is there any other way of naming it?

ũ-pa̍t-miâ hó-kiè,

yes, there is another way.

chí sĩ tî-tiâng-kâi?

whose is this?

chí sĩ sin-seⁿ--kâi,

this is the teacher’s.

chí sĩ thâu-ke--kâi,

this is Master’s.

chí sĩ chèng-nâng--kâi,

this belongs to the public.

chí sĩ tî-nâng-kâi?

this belongs to which person?

sĩ-so̍k hṳ́-chiàⁿ-lâi kâi-nâng,

it belongs to the man who just came.

kâi tî-tiâng,

who is that?

tî-tiâng-lâi,

who comes?

tî-tiâng-tõ,

who is there?

tî-tiâng-tàⁿ,

who„ said it?

tî-tiâng-khṳ̀,

who„ went?

tî-tiâng-hàm,

who„ calls?

tõ tî-sî-lâi,

when did he come?

chá-ji̍t lâi,

came yesterday.

lâi-kú--liáu,

came a long time ago.

mn̂g-khí-chá--lái,

came this morning.

lṳ́ khiã-khí tî-kò,

where do you live?

khiã-khí tõ Hú-siâⁿ,

live at the Hu city.

khiã-khí tõ-hâng,

lives in the hong.

khiã-khí tõ-kūiⁿ--téng,

lives„ at the District city.

nín tî-kòp-húe,

ye are of what place?

uán sĩ Gô-chhân--húe,

we are Go-chhan people.

ún sĩ-hieⁿ-ẽ kâi,

we are from a country village-(depreciating).

ún sĩ-lãi-tī kâi-nâng,

we are from the Interior.

lṳ́ khṳ̀-tî-kò,

where are you going?

uà khṳ̀-bói-mue̍h,

I go to buy something.

uá khṳ̀ chò-khang-khùe,

I go to do work.

uá khṳ̀-thó-chîⁿ,

I am going to collect cash.

uá khṳ̀ thó-siàu-ba̍k,

I am going to collect an account.

uá khṳ̀-táu-chîⁿ,

I am going to exchange (dollars) for cash.

i kàu-tî-kò,

to where has he reached? How far has he gone?

i kàu Phàu-thâi--liáu,

he has got as far as Phau-Thai.

tî-chiah-chûn,

which boat?

sĩ-hṳ́ phah-tèng--kâi,

it is that one at anchor.

sĩ-hṳ́ sái-phâng--kâi,

it is that one sailing.

sĩ-hṳ́-kâi ũ phâng-kám--kâi,

it is that one with a cover.

sĩ-hṳ́ kò-chiéⁿ--kâi,

it is that one rowing.

sĩ-nâng theⁿ-chûn--kâi,

it is the one the men are poling.

tî-che̍k-kiãⁿ-sĩ,

which is the one?

tî-che̍k-kâi-sĩ,

which„ is„ the„ one„?

ũi-tie̍h chò-nî,

one account of what?

sĩ ũi-tie̍h pẽ-bó,

it is on account of his father and mother.

chò-nî, nē, why so?

why is it?

lṳ́-tàⁿ chò-nî,

what do you say?

uá bô chò-nî-tàⁿ,

I did not say anything.

lṳ́ chò-nî-siẽⁿ,

what do you think?

uá siẽⁿ chièⁿ-seⁿ m̄-hó-chò,

I think it is not well to do that way.

chò-nî-ⁿ-iēⁿ,

what kind is it?

chò-ũ,

how can there be? (disputing).

hô chò-nî-chò,

how can it be done?

chãi-tit,

how can it be? (disputing).

chãi-seⁿ,

what manner?

i nâng chãi-seⁿ,

how is he? what sort of person is he?

jie̍h-chōi,

how many? how much?

jie̍h-kûiⁿ,

how high?

jie̍h-tōa,

how large?

chie̍h jie̍h-tãng,

how heavy is the stone?

chúi jie̍h-chhim,

the water, how deep is it?

i ũ jie̍h-chōi ngn̂,

how much silver has he?

jie̍h-hó,

how good is it?

hô-m̄ chièⁿ-seⁿ,

why not have it thus?

i lâi a-būe,

has he come or not?

ũ--mēⁿ,

have they any? is there any?

àiⁿ a-m̄,

do you want it or not?

thâu-ke lâi a-bô,

has the Master come or not?

sĩ-mih sî-hāu,

what time?

tõ sĩ-mih sî-hāu,

at what time?

tõ tî-sî,

when?

sĩ-mih ūi-chhṳ̀,

what place?

sĩ-mih tī-hng,

what„ place„