Page:A Manual of the Foochow Dialect in Twenty Lessons.pdf/68

67 7. Proportion and comparison are shown by the use of 分 hŭng a tenth part, sĕk-hŭng denotes perfection or completion. Seven or eight per cent better, 好七八分 hō̤ chék-báik hŭng. Perfect, 十分 sĕk-ciòng.

8. 倒 Dō̤, read second tone, means to lie down. He is lying on the bed just now, 伊現在倒眠床禮 I hiêng-câi dō̤ mìng-chòng lā̤. Read third tone dó̤ holds the meaning of “on the contrary”. It is then often combined wtih dăng. Although he is not very wise, nevertheless in his studies he excels the other. 伊雖然伓是大聰明其𠆧㑚落讀書其代單倒故贏去許一隻 I chŭi-iòng ng-sê duâi chŭng-mìng gì nè̤ng, nâ lŏ̤h tĕ̤k-cṳ̆ gì dâi dăng-dó̤ gó iàng-kó̤ hṳ̄ siŏh-ciáh. After all, it is so, 倒也是 dó̤ iâ sê.

9. 趁 Téng bears the meaning of passing through a place, and also of availing oneself of an opportunity. We pass through Cui-kau in traveling from Foochow to Ku-cheng, 由福州去古田趁水口過 Iù Hôk-cĭu kó̤ Kū-chèng téng Cūi-kāu guó. He availed himself of that opportunity to see his father, 伊趁那機會去見伊其郎罷 I téng hiā gī-huôi kó̤ giéng ĭ gì nòng-mâ.

10. The words “open” and “shut” are translated in different ways according to the precise nature of the action. To open the eyes, 目睭擘開 mĕk-ciŭ báh-kăi. To open the mouth, 嘴擘開 chói báh-kŭi. Open the door, 開門 kui muòng. Close the book, 書合去 cṳ̆ hăk-kó̤. Close your eyes, 目睭尅去 mĕk-ciŭ káik-kó̤. Shut the door, 關門 guŏng muòng. Kăi is also used for winding up a clock. Did you wind up the clock yesterday? 一暝鍾開昧 Siŏh-màng cṳ̆ng kŭi muôi? 

 EXERCISE XIV.


 * 眼鏡 ngāng-giáng: spectacles
 * 唐哺 dòng-buŏ: husband
 * 後生仔 hâu-săng-giāng: a young man