Page:A Manual of the Foochow Dialect in Twenty Lessons.pdf/35

34 the order of words is necessary. 獲 Hĕk or kĕk is used in a similar way. Many examples of this may be found in the New Testament. He took his property and entrusted it to them, 將伊所務其乇交乞伊 Ciŏng ĭ sū ô gì nó̤h gău ké̤ṳk ĭ.

3. 就 Cêu is used in certain Chinese construction, in sentences indicating that one action is the consequence of a previous action, and may be translated “thereupon,” “forthwith”, etc. In English words of this nature are often understood and not expressed, but in Chinese the equivalent cêu must always be expressed. When I came to China I engaged a teacher, 儂家至中國就請一隻先生 Nè̤ng-gă gáu Dŭng-guók cêu chiāng siŏh ciáh Sĭng-săng. When they had finished worship they returned home, 禮拜做完了伊各𠆧就轉去 Lā̤-bái có̤ uòng lāu ĭ-gáuk-nè̤ng cêu diōng kó̤.

4. The sentence “What is this made of?” may be written “Of what is this made?” Chinese idiom corresponds to the latter form. What is this made of? 嚽是世乇做其 Cuòi sê sié-nó̤h có̤ gì? What is this chair made of? 者椅是世乇做其 Ciā iē sê sié-nó̤h có̤ gì? Similarly in Chinese, the question “Where has he come from?” is expressed “From where has he come?” 伊由冬那來 ĭ iù dĕ̤ng-nē̤ lì?

5. The connection in which a verb is found often determines its mood and tense. This is especially true of past and perfect tenses. 了 Lāu or 過 guó may sometimes be used but more often there is no sign at all to denote the inflections. Practice and observation teach one best. 好了 Hō̤ lāu and 清楚了 chĭng-chū lāu may be added to verbs as a sign of either tense and may be translated by “finished” or any other word denoting completion. Jesus gave up His life, 耶穌捨伊其命 Ià-Sŭ siā ĭ gì miâng. Have you finished? 做好了味 做好了 ''Có̤ hō̤ lāu muôi? Có̤ hō̤ lāu.'' I have seen it, 儂家見過了 Nè̤ng-gă giéng guó lāu. Have you taken food? 汝食飯昧 食了 ''Nṳ̄ siăh buông muôi? Siăh lāu.''