Primary Lessons in Swatow Grammar/Lesson XVII

by William Ashmore

Interjection.

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Adieu, good-bye, &c,

(sî-pie̍t kâi-ūe ũ chōi-chōi-iēⁿ, words of parting are of many kinds).

lṳ́ chhiáⁿ; chhiáⁿ,

if you please. (chí-kù sĩ thong-ēng, this one is in general use,—put-lũn sĩ-mih-nâng hó-ēng, people of any class may use it).

lṳ́ ēng-kang,

attend to your work. (chí-kù tùi-sai-pẽ hó-tàⁿ, this expression may be said to a mechanic,—tùi tha̍k-chṳ-nâng iā-hó-tàⁿ, may also be said to literary men).

lṳ́ lāu-jie̍t; lāu-jie̍t,

plenty of business to you. (chí-kù tùi-seng-lí-nâng hó-tàⁿ, this sentence may be used to merchants and traders).

lṳ́ chhiáⁿ-chõ; lṳ́ chõ; tãi-ke chhiáⁿ-chõ,

please retain your seat; Ye all, please retain your seats. (siêⁿ-ēng kâi-ūe, words of constant use. Used by visitors when taking leave).

uá lâi-cháu,

I am going to run. (Said by a departing visitor who has some distance to go).

uá lâi-khṳ̀,

I am going. (chí-kù iáu-chhou ēng, this sentence is of rather common,—uncultured—use).

àiⁿ-hûe--liáu,

I am about returning. (iáu-kun-chṳ́, a more cultured expression (than the preceding one)).

hũn-jiáu,

I trouble you.

lūi--lṳ́,

I am troubling you. (Polite expressions used sometimes at parting).

lṳ́ chṳ̃-chãi,

be at rest; be comfortable. (Said by a departing visitor when the host is, perhaps, reclining, or resting in a comfortable position, and means, please don’t disturb yourself).

Ah—ã; ãⁿ.

(ngõ-tie̍h khî-kùai--kâi chiũ-ēng chí-kâi-gṳ́, when one meets with anything strange, he uses this exclamation. ũ-se-su phìⁿ-sièⁿ kâi-ì, with a Little contemptuous meaning,—sometimes.—iā-ũ gî-mn̄g kâi-ì, also when asking with the idea of doubt).

ã, lṳ́ būe-khṳ̀,

ah, you havn’t gone yet.

ã, chá-sî lṳ́ m̄-thiaⁿ--uá,

ah, you didn't listen to me a while ago.

taⁿ hīn-chãi chiũ-ngõ-tie̍h chí-kâi,

and now you have met with this.

Begone—khṳ̀--nō.

(im ũ-tn̂g-tó, iā-ũ-khin ũ-tãng, the tone may be long or short, or it may be light or heavy.—tó--kâi chiàⁿ-khin, ũ-un-jiû kâi-ì, when short and light it has a mild meaning. tn̂g--kâi chiàⁿ-tãng ũ-seⁿ-khì kâi-ì, when the tone is long and heavy it denotes anger).

khṳ̀--nō,

go (mildly).

khṳ̀ nō-ō-ō,

get you gone.

Hist, hark,—ss, ist,

(àiⁿ-kiè-nâng tiām-tiām, when you want to tell some one to be still. or, àiⁿ hàm-nâng cháu-khui, want to tell him to stand off.

lṳ́ chhiáⁿ-sù--úa,

I beg you to indulge me, i.e. hear me.

hiaⁿ-tĩ lṳ́ chhiáⁿ-thiaⁿ úa-tàⁿ,

brethren please to hear me speak.

lṳ́ chhiáⁿ-tiām thãi úa-tàⁿ,

you please be quiet until I speak.

iông uá-tàⁿ,

allow me to state.

Halloo,—ou-ou-ôi,

(àiⁿ-hàm-nâng chiũ ēng chí-kâi siaⁿ-búe, if you want to call people use this vocal ending.—nâng a-sĩ hñg-hñg im chiũ khan tn̂g-tn̂g, the man if he is far away, the tone must be drawn out long).

chûn ou-ou-ôi,

Halloo, the boat.

A-sam ou-ou-ôi,

Halloo, A Sam.

thâu-mīn-chôiⁿ kâi-nâng ā,

Halloo, you man ahead there.

Lo, behold,—ñg, ã, ũa, ẽⁿ,

(ngõ-tie̍h m̄-pat thóiⁿ-kìⁿ kâi chiũ-ēng chí-kâi, when you meet with something you havn’t seen (unexpected), then you may use these).

ã, sĩ-lṳ́,

behold, you have come.

úa khṳ̀-chhūe, ñg, bô-tõ,

I went to look for it, and behold, it was not there.

ũa, lṳ́ tõ-chí-ā,

lo, here you are.

Oh,—ō.

ō, lṳ́ tàⁿ chí--kù úa mêng-pe̍h,

oh, when you say that, I understand.

ō, úa mêng-pe̍h,

oh, I understand.

ō, sĩ àn-chièⁿ-seⁿ, ā,

oh, the matter is like that, is it,

O,—ō, ā,

Iⁿ-sek-lie̍t nâng, o,

O, Israel.

chèng-ūi hiaⁿ-tĩ, ā,

O, ye brethren all.

Pshaw,—tshṳ́, chhiá lṳ-lṳ-lṳ,

tshṳ́, chièⁿ-seⁿ kâi-ūe,

pshaw, on such words as that.

tshṳ́, chièⁿ-seⁿ kâi-nâng, bô-tõ-lí-chãi,

nonsense, on such a man, he is utterly wanting in reason.

Heigho,—ái-à, õi-ōu,

ái-ã. m̄-hó. heigho,

that’s not proper.

ái-ã. chhiú mài-thãng,

heigho, don’t touch it.

Alas—ái-ã; hái-ã.

(nāⁿ-sĩ kìⁿ-tie̍h iu-būn kiaⁿ-hãi--kâi chiũ-hó ēng-chí-kâi-ūe, if you meet with anything sad or frightful then use these words).

lân-nãi, ō,

hard to bear.

kan-khóu-chãi, ā,

very hard.

chhi-chhám, ā,

most woful.

uá chhám, ā,

alas, for me.

Hum—m̄, hēⁿ, (ũ-sî gî--kâi-ì,

sometimes expresses doubt).

Ah, indeed—ñg; āu.

āu, āu, ka-lau̍h-liáu,

there, there now, you’ve dropped it.

O then, that being so—hiá--li; húai.

hiá li-i: a-sĩ chièⁿ-seⁿ,

O then, if that’s the way it is,

hiá li, mài-khṳ̀ kèng-hó,

O then, it would be better not to go.

húai, chièⁿ-seⁿ m̄-káⁿ-khṳ̀,

that being so, I dare not go. (This word li is constantly used to give emphasis, and serves as an exclamation point)

m̄-chai--li,

O, I don’t know.

tie̍h--li,

assuredly so.

Look out—ā.

nâng--ā, nâng--ā, kiâⁿ-che̍k-pôiⁿ,

look out man, walk one side.

nâng--ā, chai-kuan, mài-chūang--tie̍h,

halloo, man, take care, don’t run against it.

Ugh—ĩ--hĩ; ṳ̃; ẽ.

(hán--tit thóiⁿ-kìⁿ, ho̍k hut-jiên-lâi--kâi, ho̍k chhi-gî kâi-sṳ̄ chiũ-hó ēng-chí-kâi, you may use this concerning something rarely seen, or unexpectedly coming, or very repulsive).

ĩ--hĩ, hiá chhi-gî-chãi, lā,

ugh, that is very repulsive.

Yes—hēⁿ; hēⁿ, nō; aū; sĩ; tie̍h.

Ho—ō; ā; hói.

(The latter is not a respectful way of calling, but is constantly heard in the markets).

hói, kiâⁿ-khui,

ho, step aside.

hói, mài-ji̍p--khṳ̀,

ho, don’t go in there.

Provoking—khî.

(With the idea of strangeness).

Ridiculous, laughable—khó-chhiè; hó-chhiè.

Abominable—khó-ù; khó-lóu.

Pitiable—khó-sieh; khó-sieh-chãi.

Steady—ûn-ûn; kiâⁿ-ûn; ûn-ûn-kiâⁿ.

Be careful—chṳ́-sòi; khuaⁿ-khuaⁿ; khuaⁿ-khuaⁿ--nē.

Of course—chṳ̃-jiên; kúaⁿ-jiên.

No matter—bô-siang-kan; juãn; chhìn-chhái.