A Manual of the Foochow Dialect In Twenty Lessons/Lesson XVIII

by C. M. S. and A. E. Champness

LESSON XVIII.

驚 giăng

to fear

睏 káung

to sleep

准 cūng

to permit

想 siōng

to think

當 dáung

to represent, to pawn

漢的 háng-dék

to suppose

仈字 báik cê

to recognise characters

好愛 hō̤-tiáng

amiable

止 cī

to stop

店 dáing

shop

相 sŏng

mutual

板 bēng

boards

鑼 lò̤

gong

定 diâng

to fix, determine, decide

難 nàng

difficult

分別 hŭng-biék

to differentiate

別 bĕk

different, another

齊 cà̤

together

該當 găi-dŏng

ought

多的多 dŏ̤-dék-dŏ̤

for the most part

大畧 dâi-liŏk

probably, mostly

大凡 dâi-huàng

everyone

老實 lō̤-sĭk

well-disposed, honest

大概 dâi-kái

for the most part

現成 hiêng-siàng

ready made, in current use

看待 káng-dâi

to behave towards, treat

隨便 sùi-biêng

as you please

上勢 siông-sié

on the top

務意 ô-é

of purpose

或且 hĕ̤k-chiā

perhaps

到底 dó̤-dā̤

finally

記才 gé-cài

memory

透底 táu-dā̤

at the last, right to the end

1 當 Dŏng originally means “ought”, but when read 當 dáung it means “to represent”. Hence a pawnshop is called a 當店 dáung-dáing as the pledge left behind represents the money loaned. 當 Dŏng has the meaning of bearing responsibility, hence the head of a family is called 當家 dŏng gă. Hence also the phrase “Jesus bears our sorrows” 耶穌是當奴各𠆧其苦 Ià-Sŭ sê dŏng nù-gáuk-nè̤ng gì kū. Dŏng also means “at the time in question”. In that year Confucius taught his disciples, 當年仲尼教伊其門生 Dŏng-nièng Dê̤ṳng-nà̤ gá ĭ gì muòng-sĕng. Dê̤ṳng-nà̤ was the “given” name of Confucius, and is largely used by Chinese scholars in speaking of the sage Treat him as a child, 將伊當做伲仔看待 Ciŏng ĭ dáung có̤ niê-giāng káng-dâi. He has gone to the pawnshop to redeem a pledge, 伊去當店討當 I kó̤ dáung-dáing tō̤ dáung. He makes a false stand for the true and the true for the false, 伊當真做假假做真 I dáung cĭng có̤ gā, gā có̤ cĭng.

2. The word “think” is used in a double sense, meaning either to revolve in the mind, or to express irresolution and uncertainty. There are two words used in Foochow Colloquial with the meaning of “to think” 想 siōng is most commonly used to denote an opinion given, while 漢的 háng-dék is used to denote a supposition which may be correct or incorrect. I think he can read, 儂家想伊⿰亻鞋仈字 Nè̤ng-gă siōng ĭ â̤ báik cê. This is unexpected happiness, 嚽是想賣至其福氣 Cuòi sê siōng mà-gáu gì hók-ké. Supposing that he had gone with the other children, 漢的伊共別隻伲仔齋去了 Háng-dék ĭ gâe̤ng bĕk-ciáh niê-giāng cà̤ kó̤ lāu.

3 To forget, is 賣記的去 mâ̤ gé-dék kó̤. My memory is bad, I cannot recall it, 儂家其記才平正賣記的去 Nè̤ng-gă gì gé-cài bàng-ciáng, mâ̤ gé-dék kó̤

4. The following sentences express probabilities and generalities. It is most likely so, 大概是將換 Dâi-kái sê ciŏng-uâng. Men in general are not willing to worship God, 𠆧多的多伓肯拜上帝 Nè̤ng dŏ̤-dék-dŏ̤ ng-kīng bái Siông-Dá̤.

5. The results of actions are expressed by the use of the adverbs, such as 完 uòng, 成 siàng, 盡 cêng, 定 diâng following the verb. 定 Diâng is in certain cases prefixed to the verb, and answers to the meaning of “made to order”: Did you buy this gong ready made? No, it was made to order. 只一面鑼是現成買其毛 伓是是定做其 Ci siŏh-miêng lò̤ sê hiêng-siàng mā̤ gì mò̤. Ng sê, sê diâng có̤ gì. The bargain is completed, 價錢定着了 Gá-cièng diâng-diŏh lāu. When we have finished reading we will go down, 書讀完了奴各𠆧就落去 Cṳ̆ tĕ̤k uòng lāu, nù-gáuk-nè̤ng cêu lŏ̤h kó̤. One box cannot hold all, 一隻箱貯賣去 Siŏh-ciáh siŏng diō mâ̤ kó̤. He used up his money, 伊其錢駛完了 I gì cièng sāi uòng-lāu.

6. “To make into” is expressed by 成 siàng placed between the verb and its object. He made four pieces of wood into a box, 伊掏四塊板做成一隻箱 I dò̤ sé-dó̤i bēng có̤ siàng siŏh-ciáh siŏng.

7. “Not only” followed by “but also” is expressed by 不止 bók-cĭ; followed by iâ or beng-chiā (Lesson XIV. 2.) We must not only repent, but we must also believe in Jesus, 奴各𠆧不止着悔改 也着信耶穌 Nù-gáuk-nè̤ng bók-cī diŏh huói-gāi, iā-diŏh séng Ià-Sŭ.

8 Mutual action is indicated by 相 sŏng. Life and death are connected, 生死是相連其 Săng sī sê sŏng-lièng gì. Disciples of Jesus ought always to agree with one another, 耶穌其門生該當常常相和 Ià-Sŭ gì muòng-sĕng găi-dŏng siòng-siòng sŏng-huò.

EXERCISE XVIII.

睶 chūng

sleepy

盤 buàng

plate

收 sĭu

receive (as a letter)

寄 gié

send, despatch, (as a letter)

便急 biêng-gék

convenient

決斷 giók-duáng

decide

中意 de̤ṳ́ng-é

satisfactory

簽字 chiĕng-cê

to append initials

郵政局 lù-céng-guŏh

Post-office

老爹 lō̤-diă

Mandarin

禁止 géng-cī

to prohibit

某 mū

a certain (place, thing, man)

Translate into English:—

1. Mò̤ bĕk-ciáh Géu-Ciō.
2. Nè̤ng-gă siŏh-buŏ káung mâ̤ diŏh.
3. Cuòi â̤ biêng-gék mâ̤?
4. Ĭ lì-ng-lì mò̤ diâng-diŏh.
5. Nṳ̄ cūng-diŏh diōng chió. Nè̤ng-gă ô tiăng-giéng nṳ̄ gì nòng-mâ kŭo-daúng, nṳ̄ kó̤ bŏng-câe̤ ĭ bī tĕ̤k cṳ̆ gó hō̤.
6. Tiĕng sàng muōng dái ṳ̄-sāng, dâung ṳ̄ cêu sùi biêng.
7. Gĭng-dáng kó̤ mâ̤ biêng-gék nâ sê mò̤-huák.
8. Ĭ ng báik-cê gó-chṳ̄ nè̤ng-gă ng chiáng ĭ.
9. Ciā ĭ-siòng sê có̤ hiêng-siàng gì mò̤? Ciâng sê, sê hiêng-siàng gì.
10. Hṳ̄-siŏh-ciáh niê-giāng cêng kó̤ hō̤-tiáng.
11. Hĕ̤k-chiā hiā tō̤ mâ̤-diŏh gì cṳ̆ sê lŏ̤h diù siông-sié lā̤. Nṳ̄ ô kó̤ hŭ-uái tō̤ mò̤?
12. Ciā buàng cêng bō̤-buói, ng-tĕ̤ng ciŏng siŏh-dó̤i páh-mò̤ kó̤.
13. Ciā bău ng tĕ̤ng áik kák gīng, giăng diē-sié gì nó̤h pàh-puái kó̤.
14. Ciā bēng cêng áuk-cháuk, găi-dŏng sā̤ táh-gáik.
15. Ià-Sŭ éng gōng, nṳ̄ hàng-dék ciā Gă-lé-lé nè̤ng bī cé̤ṳng Gă-lé-lé nè̤ng cô̤i gó dâe̤ng, gó chṳ̄ sêu ciā hâi mŏ̤?

Translate into Chinese:—

1. O Lord, grant our petition.
2. Just as he pleases.
3. Is he honest?
4. You children are sleepy, go to bed.
5. Although this is not satisfactory, there is certainly no other possible way.
6. Take this parcel to Mr. Diong and bring back an initialled receipt.
7. I sent a letter to my mother last week, and have received a letter from her today asking me why have I not written to her this year.
8. I fear the letter is lost. You had better notify the Imperial Post Office.
9. You ought to decide at once.
10. This method of doing business is very unsatisfactory.
11. I forgot to notify him about that matter, but after all it is not very important.
12. I think that they will probably arrive to-night.
13. Read the twenty-seventh chapter from the first to the thirtieth verse.
14. His memory is bad. No matter what you tell him he always forgetes.
15. Jesus called his twelve disciples to him, and sent them forth two by two.