Page:A Manual of the Foochow Dialect in Twenty Lessons.pdf/41

40 4. Great care should be taken in the use of the different verbs meaning “to carry”. 帶 Dái is used of light things, and taking persons with one. 掏 Dò̤ is used of heavier things. 担 Dăng of a load carried on a pole by one man. 扛 Gŏng of a load carried on a pole by two men or more. 邁 Mâi, to carry on the back. 拖 Tuă, to drag along. 拈 Niĕng, to lift in one hand. Bring that book over here, please, 起動汝拈許一本書來 Kī-daê̤ng nṳ̄ niĕng hṳ̄ siŏh buōng cṳ̆ lì. He took his son with him, 伊將伊其仔帶去 ĭ ciŏng ĭ gì giāng dái kó̤. Take away this teapot, 者茶婆掏去 Ciā dà-bò̤ dò̤ kó̤. Tell him to bring a load of water, 呌伊擔一担水來 Giéu ĭ dăng siŏh dáng cūi lì. Call two men to carry this table out, 呌二隻𠆧扛只一張棹出去 Giéu lâng ciáh nè̤ng gŏng cī siŏh tiŏng dó̤h chók kó̤.

5. No English word adequately conveys the force of, 生乜式 săng-miéh-sék and 將樣 ciŏng-iông. They answer to such expressions as “how about?” “how then?” If he takes no money, what will he do afterwards, 伊毛帶錢 以後將樣做呢 ĭ mò̤ dái ciēng, ī-hâiu ciŏng-iông có̤ nì?

6. Chinese politeness demands the use of the words, 貴 gói and 敝 bê, in asking and answering the question. What is your name? Your honourable name? 貴姓 Gói-séng? My unworthy name is Diong, 敝姓張 Bê-séng Diŏng. The following forms are used in asking one person the name of another one (when not in his presence), and in speaking of another person by his surname. What is the name of that gentleman? 許一隻先生姓世乇 Hṳ̄ siŏh-ciáh Sĭng-săng sáng sìe-nó̤h? That person is named Bieng, 許一隻姓卞 Hṳ̄ siŏh-ciáh sáng Biêng. What is the name of this gentleman? (asked in his presence)