Page:A Manual of the Foochow Dialect in Twenty Lessons.pdf/26

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t? ô â mò̤? Has he any money? ĭ ô cièng â mò̤? Is there anybody there? hṳ̄ bĕng ô nè̤ng â mò̤? (Note the euphonic particle â before mò̤.)

(b) â̤ expresses an emphatic positive and is used in asking questions with mà̤ which is the corresponding emphatic negative. â̤ also denotes ability and implies permission or assent. Can he do it? ĭ â̤ có̤ mâ̤? He can do it. ĭ â̤ có̤. He cannot do it. ĭ mâ có̤. Do you understand my meaning? nguāi gì é-sé̤ṳ nṳ̄ â̤ huôi-é mâ̤?

(c) Ng expresses a simple negative. Will he do it? ĭ có̤ ng có̤? Do they want those things or not? hiā nó̤h ĭ dĭh ng dĭh?

(d) Sê ng sê, includes the phrases, is it so or not? is it not so? yes or no? Will it do? hō̤ ng hō̤? Is it enough? gáu ng gáu?

(e) Negative interrogative sentences are formed by making a negative statement and placing mò̤ at the end. Is not this yours? cuòi ng sê nṳ̄ gì mò̤? Is not this his money? cuòi ng sê ĭ gì cièng mò̤?

(f) Such questions as “why does? Why does not?” are formed as follows: Why does he not worship God? I ĭng sié-nó̤h iòng-gó ng bái Siông-Dṳ́?

2. Ciŏng-gì is the most common expression used in asking “why?” It is a very forcible expression and often implies reproof. Why do you not listen to him? nṳ̄ ciŏng-gì ng tiăng ĭ? Why have you not done it? nṳ̄ ciŏng-gì muôi có̤?