Page:A Manual of the Foochow Dialect in Twenty Lessons.pdf/83

82 redeem a pledge, 伊去當店討當 I kó̤ dáung-dáing tō̤ dáung. He makes a false stand for the true and the true for the false, 伊當真做假假做真 I dáung cĭng có̤ gā, gā có̤ cĭng.

2. The word “think” is used in a double sense, meaning either to revolve in the mind, or to express irresolution and uncertainty. There are two words used in Foochow Colloquial with the meaning of “to think” 想 siōng is most commonly used to denote an opinion given, while 漢的 háng-dék is used to denote a supposition which may be correct or incorrect. I think he can read, 儂家想伊⿰亻鞋仈字 Nè̤ng-gă siōng ĭ â̤ báik cê. This is unexpected happiness, 嚽是想賣至其福氣 Cuòi sê siōng mà-gáu gì hók-ké. Supposing that he had gone with the other children, 漢的伊共別隻伲仔齋去了 Háng-dék ĭ gâe̤ng bĕk-ciáh niê-giāng cà̤ kó̤ lāu.

3 To forget, is 賣記的去 mâ̤ gé-dék kó̤. My memory is bad, I cannot recall it, 儂家其記才平正賣記的去 Nè̤ng-gă gì gé-cài bàng-ciáng, mâ̤ gé-dék kó̤

4. The following sentences express probabilities and generalities. It is most likely so, 大概是將換 Dâi-kái sê ciŏng-uâng. Men in general are not willing to worship God, 𠆧多的多伓肯拜上帝 Nè̤ng dŏ̤-dék-dŏ̤ ng-kīng bái Siông-Dá̤.

5. The results of actions are expressed by the use of the adverbs, such as 完 uòng, 成 siàng, 盡 cêng, 定 diâng following the verb. 定 Diâng is in certain cases prefixed to the verb, and answers to the meaning of “made to order”: Did you buy this gong ready made? No, it was made to order. 只一面鑼是現成買其毛 伓是是定做其 ''Ci siŏh-miêng lò̤ sê hiêng-siàng mā̤ gì mò̤. Ng sê, sê diâng có̤ gì''. The bargain is completed, 價錢定着了 Gá-cièng diâng-diŏh lāu. When we have finished reading we will go down, 書讀完了奴各𠆧就落去 Cṳ̆ tĕ̤k uòng lāu, nù-gáuk-nè̤ng cêu lŏ̤h kó̤. One