Page:A Manual of the Foochow Dialect in Twenty Lessons.pdf/87

86 2 Repetition and constant action are expressed by words repeated, such as 時時 sì-sì, 常常 siòng-siòng, 仅 bó and 時刻 sì-káik, prefixed to the verb also carry the same meaning. Here he is again, 伊仅來了 I bô lì lāu. He is with them every day, 伊日日共伊各𠆧一堆 I ník-ník gâe̤ng ĭ-gáuk-nè̤ng siŏh-dŏi. That thrush sings all the time, 許一頭花眉時時禮呌 Hā̤ siŏh-tàu huă-mì sì-sì lā̤ giéu. The day he was ill he prayed incessantly, 伊破病許一日就時時刻刻祈禱 I púai-bâng hṳ̄ siŏh-nĭk cêu sì-sì káik-káik gì̤ [sic]-dò̤. It is so on every occasion, 常常都是將換 Siòng-siòng dŭ-sê ciŏng-uâng.

3 屢 Sèu has the meaning of “often, regularly”, and is frequently used in the superlative form, 盡屢 cêng sèu. He very frequently studies his Bible, 伊盡屢讀聖經 I cêng sèu tĕ̤k Sēng-Gĭng.

4 In deducing a conclusion from a line of argument, we employ either a word or a phrase, such as “therefore, hence, since” to introduce such conclusions; or we may employ such phrases as “in consideration of, this being so”. Chinese colloquial usually prefers the latter style, the single words being more generally found in the book language. Since this is so, the money is not his, 學將換 者錢伓是伊其 Oh-ciŏng-uâng, ciā cièng ng sê ĭ gì. I knew therefore that he was an unreliable man, 故此儂家曉的伊是靠不住其𠆧 Gó-chṳ̄ nè̤ng-gá hiēu dék ĭ sè kó̤-bók-cê̤ṳ gì nè̤ng.

5 In translating such phrases as “it burns, it bites”, describing the effect of an action upon the individual the auxiliary verb â̤ is used before the principal verb. Be careful, it will burn you! 着細貳⿰亻鞋灴汝 Diŏh sá̤-nê, â̤ gōng nṳ̄. Does that dog bite? No, don’t be afraid, it is very quiet, 許一頭犬仔⿰亻鞋咬賣 賣伓使驚 盡去老實 ''Hṳ̄ siŏh-tàu kēng-gīang â̤ gû mâ̤? Mâ̤, ng sāi giăng, cêng kó̤ lō̤-sĭk''.