Page:A Manual of the Foochow Dialect in Twenty Lessons.pdf/32

11. A common way of expressing the price of articles, or enumerating them, in the case of low numbers, is by the use of the Possessive particle gì following the cardinal numeral. How much are these oranges a piece? Two cash. 者桔箬壞錢一粒 Ciā gék niŏh-nâi cièng siŏh lăk? 二其 Lâng gì. One and a half cash. 其半 Gì buáng.

Note (1) 𠋡飯 Siăh-buông to eat cooked rice, is the phrase used most frequently by the Chinese for taking a meal. (2) The word 拜 bái used to express the meaning of the worship of God, originally possesses no spiritual meaning whatever. It only signifies the outward act of bowing. In a similar way the expression 禮拜 lā̤-bái the name generally given to Christian worship, literally means “ceremonial bowing”. That these words have any spiritual significance is only an account of Christian associations. Addressed to the heathen Chinese, they convey no spiritual meaning.

EXERCISE VI.

柑 găng

coolie oranges

桔 gék

mandarin oranges

上齋 siông că̤

to attend school

偷躲齋 tău-diō că̤

to play truant

男齋 nàng că̤

boys’ school

女齋 nṳ̄ că̤

girls’ school

飽了 bā lāu

satisfied with food

刷 sáuk

to scrub

品行 pīng-hâing

conduct

請安 chiāng ăng

pay respects

扣 káiu

to deduct money due, cut wages &c.

Translate into English:—

1. Nè̤ng-gă muôi tiăng ĭ gōng Dṳ̆ng-guók uâ.
2. Nṳ̄ â̤ káng-dék-giéng má̤?
3. Séng-Gĭng gì dô̤-lī ĭ gōng-dék hō̤.
4. Nâ ô sá̤ gì, mò̤ duâi gì, né̤ng-gă cêu káiu ĭ gì cièng.
5. Ĭ kó̤ gă-dŏng gōng dô̤-lī.
6. Hṳ̄ siŏh-ciáh sĭng-săng cê siā-dék hō̤, nâ ĭ