Page:A Manual of the Foochow Dialect in Twenty Lessons.pdf/53

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 * 贏去 iàng-kó̤: to surpass
 * 毛乇比併 mò̤-nó̤h bī-piâng: incomparable
 * 四角 sé-gáe̤k: square

1. In comparing persons or things we say that they are inferior, equal to, or superior to other persons or things. The quality or point of comparison is usually shown by some suitable word, generally an adjective or an adverb. English idiom places the object compared at the beginning or the end, and the descriptive word in the middle of the sentence, e.g. “This is not as good as that”, Chinese idiom places the descriptive word last. This is not as good as that, 嚽毛回好 Cuòi mò̤ huòi hō̤.

2. To express inferiority the following are used:&mdash; Have not, has not 毛 mò̤; not equal to, 不如 bók-ṳ̀; loses by comparison, 故輸 gó-siŏ; does not catch up to, 毛拿 mò̤-niăh, with or without the prefix, 故 gó, often followed by 樣 iông, manner, fashion. This pencil is not as long as that, 只一本筆毛許一本長 Ci siŏh-buōng bék mò̤ hṳ̄ siŏh-buōng dòng. This horse is not equal to that, 只一頭馬故輸許一頭 Cī siŏh-tàu mā gó-siŏ hṳ̄ siŏh-tàu. My pronunciation is not as good as his, 儂家其口音不如伊其口音 Nè̤ng-gă gì kēu-ĭng bók-ṳ̀ ĭ gì kēu-ĭng. Not comparable to him, 故毛拿伊樣 Gó mò̤-niăh ĭ iông.

3. The signs of comparison are omitted at times when the connection or the attendant circumstances clearly indicate which of the two degrees is intended. This is better than that, 嚽好 Cuòi hō̤. Longer by one foot, 長一尺 Dòng siŏh chióh.

4. In comparing things that are equal, in Chinese the word, 務 ô is used, one thing having the properties of the other. This door is the same size as that, 只一㮼門務許一㮼大 Ci siŏh-siéng muòng ô hū siŏh-siéng duâi.