Primary Lessons in Swatow Grammar/Lesson XXXV

by William Ashmore

Various Questions.

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mñg-tap,

question and answer.

mn̄g-lâi mn̄g-khṳ̀,

asking to and fro.

che̍k-nâng mn̄g,

che̍k-nâng ìn, one asks and another answers; dialogue.

hó--mē,

is it well? Will it do?

hó a-m̄-hó

will it do or not?

chièⁿ-seⁿ hó--mē

will that do?

ìn-tap tàⁿ,

chièⁿ-seⁿ chò, káⁿ õi a-bõi, replied saying,—to do like that, can he or not?

lṳ́ kìⁿ chóng-tok chãi-tit káⁿ,

how dare you face the governor ?

eng-kai chò sĩ-mih-sṳ̄,

chiàⁿ õi-tit phêng-an, what must needs be done in order that there may be peace?

àiⁿ phêng-an eng-kai chò mih-sṳ̄,

if you want peace what is necessary to do?

lṳ́ chiēⁿ-ji̍t só-chò kâi-sṳ̄,

sĩ būe-chêng kâi-úa tàⁿ--mē, that which you did the other day, is there something that you have not told me of?

lṳ́ khá-sĩ bô-àiⁿ kāng-úa tàⁿ,

is it so that you don’t want to tell me?

lṳ́ phah-sǹg àiⁿ-chhiáⁿ tî-kâi ui-seng lâi,

what doctor have you decided to call?

lṳ́ chai õi-tit chiap i-kâi-ūi a-bõi,

do you know whether you can fill his place or not?

lṳ́ hô-íⁿ-chai chí-kâi-sṳ̄,

how did you come to know this?

lṳ́ chãi-tit tsai chí-kâi-sṳ̄,

how can you know this matter?

lṳ́ chò-nî ũ hièⁿ-chōi ngṳ̂n,

how did you come to have so much money?

chò-bõi,

why can I not?

lṳ́ chai-mêng a,

do you know clearly ?

chí-kâi-sṳ̄ sĩ so̍k tî-tiâng kâi-sṳ̄,

this matter pertains to whom? Whose business is it?

chí-kâi-tàⁿ sĩ so̍k tõ tî-tiâng,

this responsibility pertains to whom?

úa ũ-ūe kàu-sù lṳ́-thiaⁿ,

hó--mē, I have something to state to you, may I?

ūi-mih-sṳ̄ kám-siā i,

what shall I thank him for?

ũ-sṳ̄ hó khṳt-i kám-siā--mē,

is there anything for which I should be thanked by him?

chò-nî õi chièⁿ mêng-pe̍h,

how should it come to be so clear?

àiⁿ chò-nî chiàⁿ-hó,

should it be properly done?

i nâng seⁿ-lâi chãi-seⁿ-iēⁿ,

what sort of a looking man is he?

õi-tit-tie̍h sĩ-mih-siéⁿ,

what reward can he have?

chí-kâi hieⁿ-lí seⁿ tõ tî-kò,

where does this village lie?

lṳ́ chò-nî put-sek put-ti,

how is it that you don’t come?

lṳ́ sĩ àiⁿ-sàng sèⁿ-miāⁿ, ā,

do you want to lose your life?

lṳ́ mãuⁿ-sí, lṳ́ khá-káⁿ a-m̄-káⁿ,

to risk death, dare you or not?

lṳ́ àiⁿ-chhûan--mē,

do you want to be complete?

àiⁿ-siá-tiāu ke-ngia̍p, ā,

do you want to sacrifice your property?

lṳ́ õi-tit-tie̍h kúaⁿ-jiên kāng-i sie-thâi a-bô,

can you really fight with him or not?

lṳ́ káⁿ-màiⁿ-khṳ̀ sûn-ho̍k i,

dare you refuse to submit to him?

hó-pàng tî-kâi-ūi,

where shall I put it?

hó-chò-nî siu-si̍p,

how shall I arrange it?

ìaⁿ-siu pàng-tî-kò,

where shall I put it?

huân-ũ jie̍h-hñg,

how much farther is it?

ēng-thiap jie̍h-chōi chiàⁿ-kàu-chok,

how much must I add to make it suffice?

mn̂g-gūa tâng-chá jiáng, khá-sĩ-lṳ́ a-m̄-sĩ,

was that you making a racket outside the door a bit ago?

lṳ́ jiáng-mih-sṳ̄,

what are you making a noise about?

i jiáng-tóu khùn a-m̄-sĩ,

he is making a fuss because he is hungry, isn’t he?

nín--tang tî-tiâng-õi,

who among you are able to?

chí-chûn hàm--uá, sĩ-lṳ́ a-m̄-sĩ,

was it you calling out for me just now?

lṳ́ bõi sĩ-hàm-uá lî-khui ka-kī tī-hng,

are you not (virtually) telling me to leave my own country?

m̄-chai chí-kiãⁿ-mue̍h khá-ha̍h-lṳ́ ēng--mē,

I do not know whether this will suit your use or not?

chia̍h-liáu, m̄-chai chiè-nguân a-bõi,

when I have eaten it (medicine) I do not know whether I will be as at the first or not?

ēng- sĩ-mih-sṳ̄ chiàⁿ-huaⁿ-hí,

what will please him?

lṳ́ mn̄g-chò-nî,

what are you asking about?

lṳ́ mn̄g sĩ-mih-kâi,

what„ are„ you„ asking„ about„?

lṳ́ mn̄g sĩ-mih-sṳ̄,

what„ are„ you„ asking„ about„?

uá chò-nî hó-khṳt-lṳ́ mn̄g.

why should I be questioned by you?

ũ sĩ-mih-iēⁿ, hó-chò kâi-huap, lṳ́ khá-pat a-m̄-pat,

what kind of a way would do as a rule,—do you know or not?

lṳ́ khá-it-tit hṳ́-tâng-sî lṳ́ só-tàⁿ,

do you remember what you said at the time?

õi-tit lâi tie̍h pí chiang-lâi kâi-hok a-bōi,

can it compare with future blessedness or not?

kiè-i chò--liáu, chò-nî-màiⁿ,

after you told him to make it, why did you not want it?

kàu-tî-kò khṳt-i lia̍h tie̍h,

whereabouts was it that he was caught?

chí-kâi thiⁿ-tī, chò-nî õi-tit-ũ,

these heavens and earth, how do they come to be?

khá-m̄ eng-tng tie̍h,

ought you not &c.

sĩ-mih-sîn hó-pài,

what God ought to be worshipped?

nâng ũ-chũe chò-nî hó-buah-tiāu,

if man has sin how can it be cancelled?

lṳ́ phah-sǹg-lṳ́ ka-kī ũ-chũe a-bô,

do you think you have sinned or not?

lṳ́ siẽⁿ pài-Siãng-tì õi-tit sì-kan sĩ-mih-hó,

do you think that by worshipping God you will get any worldly good?

uá eng-kai kám-siā i a-mién,

ought I to thank him or not?

ẽ-ji̍t huân-iáu àiⁿ-khṳ̀ pài-chóu-chong--mē,

in the future will you still go and worship your ancestors?

lṳ́ tńg-khṳ̀ pài-phû-sat, ũ sĩ-mih-chũe--bô,

if you go back and worship idols, will there be any sin or not?

ũ-sĩ-mih sîn-mêng sie-hũ,

is any god to help? What god helps?

sĩ-lṳ́ ka-kī õi a-bõi,

can you of yourself do this?

lṳ́ siẽⁿ eng-kai chò-nî,

what do you think ought to be done?

ũ-sĩ-mih hó--chhù,

what is the use of it?

lṳ́ ũ jie̍h-chōi-hùe

how old are you?

chí-kâi hieⁿ-lí sĩ-so̍k tî-kâi-kūiⁿ,

this village belongs to what district?

chí-kâi-sṳ̄, tõ-chiēⁿ-bûn soiⁿ ũ-kì-lo̍k a-bô,

this matter—is it previously recorded?

chiēⁿ-bûn ũ-tàⁿ chí-kâi-miâ a-bô,

is this name found in the previous part of the book?

kṳ̃n-ji̍t kâi-kuang-kéng chãi-seⁿ,

how are things these days?

siàu-ba̍k ti̍t a-būe,

is the account settled yet?

ẽ-ji̍t sĩ khá-hó lâi-hiâm pẽ-bó--mē,

in after days shall he come and blame his father and mother?

khá-m̄ chhi-chhám,

is it not very hard?

khá-m̄-sĩ eng-kai lâu-ma̍k-chap,

is it not a thing one ought to weep for?

tî-kâi ūi-chhṳ̀ hó-phah,

whereabouts shall I strike?

jie̍h-chhut,

how far out?

uân-in sĩ-chò-nî,

why is all this?

khá-m̄-sĩ tng-eng-kai chièⁿ-seⁿ--ā,

must it not be so?

uá lâi, khá-bô Siãng-tì kâi-siàⁿ-chí--ā,

my coming,—is it not by the will of God, ah?

lṳ́ chò-nî hièⁿ-bô-nâng-chhêng,

why are you so destitute of human feeling?

pa̍t-kok kâi-lãu-iâ, khá-pat kiù-pa̍t-kok kâi-uâng õi-tit thut-chhut A-Su̍t-uâng kâi-chhiú a-bõi,

the gods of other nations,—have they ever saved the kings of other nations out of the hand of the king of Assyria or not?

taⁿ! i tõ-tî-kò--nē, now!

where are they?

sià-chũe, ãu chò-mih-sṳ̄,

after sin is forgiven what will you do?

lṳ́ kâi-lãu-âi huaⁿ-hí-lṳ́ lâi--mē,

is your aged mother pleased to have you come?

ũ-kuán-lí lṳ́ a-bô,

does any body control you? Are you free?

tî-tiâng tam-sêng-lṳ́ kâi-chũe,

who becomes security for your sin?

tî-kâi sî-hāu khṳ̀-tiāu phû-sat,

when did you put away your idols?

ke-sîn ũ-lâi--chhūe lṳ́--bô,

will the household gods come after you or not?

lṳ́ tî-kâi sî-hāu li̍p-sim,

when did you make up your mind?

lṳ́-pẽ-bó ũ-chó--lṳ́-mē,

do your father and mother hinder you?

ũ-nâng-tàⁿ, chí-kâi-kà sĩ-sai-kok kà, lṳ́ chò-nî-siẽⁿ,

people say, O this is a western teaching,—what do you think about it?

lṳ́ pài-lãu-iâ sĩ-tit-chũe tî-tiâng,

your worshipping this idol offends whom?

ũ-sĩ-mih kau-liên--tie̍h a-bô,

are you involved in any sort of trouble?

lṳ́ ũ-sĩ-mih chhân-ngia̍p, sĩ-mih chhân-súaⁿ a-bô,

are you involved about fields, or any other patrimony?

lṳ́ só-chhiet-iàu sĩ-chò-nî,

what is of the most importance to you?

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