Primary Lessons in Swatow Grammar/Lesson XXXIII

by William Ashmore

Abbreviations.

Colloquial speech abounds in abbreviated expressions. There is a great disposition to drop parts of well known sentences and to make the remaining parts do duty for the whole. Sometimes the middle part is left out and the two ends are fused together into a new compendious expression which is current coin in every day speech. This is conspicuous in counting. It is called tàⁿ-kán, saying it short, and such expressions are called, kán-niap kâi-ūe.

jī-cha̍p	contracted to	jia̍p, twenty.
jī-cha̍p-jī,	contracted to„	ji̍h-jī, twenty-two.
saⁿ-cha̍p,	contracted to„	sapⁿ, thirty.
saⁿ-cha̍p-sì.	contracted to„	sapⁿ-sì, thirty-four.
sì-cha̍p,	contracted to„	siap, forty.
ngõu-cha̍p,	contracted to„	ngua̍p, fifty.
la̍k-cha̍p,	contracted to„	la̍p, sixty.
chhit-cha̍p,	contracted to„	chhi-a̍p, seventy.
poih-cha̍p,	contracted to„	po̍p, eighty.
káu-cha̍p,	contracted to„	ka̍p, ninety.
che̍k-peh,	contracted to„	peh, one hundred.
chí-kâi,	contracted to„	chiá, this one.
hṳ́-kâi,	contracted to„	hiá, that one.
ũ a-bô?	contracted to„	ũ bô, have or not?
bô õi,	contracted to„	bõi, cannot.
àiⁿ-khṳ̀ a-m̃?	contracted to„	àiⁿ-khṳ̀ m̃? want to go or not?
àiⁿ a m̃-àiⁿ?	contracted to„	àiⁿ m̃? want it or not?
i-kâi,	contracted to„	iá, his.
lṳ́-kâi,	contracted to„	lṳ́-a, yours.
hó a-m̄-hó,	contracted to„	hó-m̃ (or) hóm, is it well or not?
mién-ēng,	contracted to„	mién, no need.
chièⁿ-seⁿ,	contracted to„	chièⁿ, like this; so.
hièⁿ-seⁿ,	contracted to„	hièⁿ, like that.
khṳ̀-tî-kò,	contracted to„	khṳ̀- tî-ò, where going, or gone?
tõ chí-kò,	contracted to„	tõ chí-ò, here.
tõ hṳ́-kò,	contracted to„	tõ hṳ́-ò, there.
chò mih-kâi,	contracted to„	chò-mih, what are you doing?
ũ mih-sṳ̄,	contracted to„	mih-sṳ̄, what is the matter?
ũ mih-kâi,	contracted to„	mih-kâi, what is it?
lṳ́ chia̍h a-būe?	contracted to„	chia̍h--būe? have you eaten yet?
hó-lâi khṳ̀-chia̍h,	contracted to„	lâi-chia̍h, let us go and eat.

lâi àiⁿ-chò-nî?	contracted to	lâi-chò-nî, what did you come for?
lâi„ àiⁿ„ chò„ nî?„	contracted to„	lâi„ chò„ nî„, what do you want?
chò-nî m̄-chièⁿ-seⁿ?	contracted to„	hô-m̄ chièⁿ-seⁿ, what not so?
kiè sī-mih-sṳ̄?	contracted to„	kiè sīm-sṳ̄, what did you call (me)?
kiè„ sī„ mih„ sṳ̄„	contracted to„	kiè„ sīm„ sṳ̄„, what are you calling out for?
chièⁿ-seⁿ chò-nî m̄-tùi?	contracted to„	chò-m̄-tùi, why is it not correct?
chò-nî bōi-tit?	contracted to„	chò-bōi, why can you not?
chièⁿ-seⁿ chò hó mē?	contracted to„	chièⁿ chò, hó-m̄, that way of doing it, is it well?
hṳ́-kâi sî-hāu,	contracted to„	hṳ́-sî, that time.
hṳ́-kâi ji̍t-chí,	contracted to„	hṳ́-ji̍t, that day.
àn-chièⁿ-seⁿ,	contracted to„	chièⁿ-seⁿ, according to that.
tàⁿ-sī mih-ūe?	contracted to„	tàⁿ-mih-ūe, what are you saying?
chò-nîⁿ-hó?	contracted to„	chò-hó, why is it good? Why so?
chí kâi sĩ-sĩ mih-mue̍h?	contracted to„	chiá sīm-mue̍h, what thing is this?
chò-nî õi-tit?	contracted to„	chãi-tit, how can it be?
chò-nî seⁿ-iēⁿ?	contracted to„	chãi-seⁿ, what manner or fashion?
chí-chièⁿ-nâng,	contracted to„	chièⁿ-nâng, these men.
hṳ́-hièⁿ-nâng,	contracted to„	hièⁿ-nâng, those men.
chha-m̄-to,	contracted to„	chham-to, differing not much.
tóu khùn-chãi,	contracted to„	khùn-chãi, very hungry.
chhông-kóu chì-kàu taⁿ lâi,	contracted to„	chhông-lâi, from of old down to the present.
lṳ́ chò-nî-tàⁿ?	contracted to„	chò-nî-tàⁿ, what do you say?
		chò-n tàⁿ,
lṳ́ tõ chò-mih-sṳ̄?	contracted to„	chò-sṳ̄, what are you doing?
lṳ́ àiⁿ-khṳ̀ tî-kò?	contracted to„	àiⁿ-tî-ò, where are you going?
lṳ́ tiâng-sî-lâi?	contracted to„	lṳ́ tiâng-lâi, when did you come?
sṳ̄ íⁿ-keng sêng--liáu,	contracted to„	sṳ̄ sêng--liáu, the matter is accomplished already.
chiẽⁿ-Hú khòng-kò,	contracted to„	Hú khòng, went up to the Hu city to bring a suit.
lo̍h-Séⁿ khòng-kò,	contracted to„	Séⁿ khòng, gone down to Canton to bring a suit.
chiũ,	contracted to„	chū, then; thereupon.
chiang,	contracted to„	chang, to take; make use of.

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