Page:Handbook of the Swatow vernacular.djvu/11

 PREFACE.

The present work differs in one respect from all other works on the previously published, as it has been compiled by one to whom it is a mother tongue and who has learned English, instead of by a European who has learned Chinese, so that it has been possible to confine the sentences strictly to the colloquial form. It is almost impossible for a European to compile any such aid so as to be entirely colloquial, because he commences his first study of the language by engaging a Chinese teacher and acquires his knowledge of Chinese principally from that class. These teachers are in the habit of importing into their speech a certain number of “bookish” words, that is, words which are only used in the written language, and are never used in the colloquial, and are not therefore understood by the people in general. To acquire the pure colloquial it is better to start with the early study of the language from another class rather than from a pedant like the teacher class. Learned men indeed add a few polite or pedantic phrases, but these are only used on certain occasions and are mere excrescences.

The chief disadvantage of inserting book words in phrase books is that the student after discovering that a certain number of words given therein when used are not understood by the people, is led to doubt whether some other words used would be understood. Thus the student has to enquire and ascertain those words which may seem to him doubtful before he uses them. Readers of the present work will be able to use every word occurring throughout the whole volume without having any doubt of its being understood.