Page:Manual of the Foochow dialect.pdf/29

15 It appears, from Table III and its note of explanation, that there are 90 final syllables, which (as belonging to the eng initial) are also independent words or vocables. They may be arranged alphabetically as follows:-

a, á, aë, aëh, aëk, aëng, ah, ah, ai, aih, aik, aing, aiu, aiuh, ak, ang, au, auh, auk, aung, e, ë, eh, ëh, ek, ëk, eng, ëng, eu, ëü, euh, ëüh, ëük, ëüng, i, iă (yă), iăh (yăh), iăk (yăk), iăng (yăng), ié, iéh, iék (yék), iéng (yéng), ieu (yeu), ieuh (yeuh), ih, ik, ing, io (yo), ioh (yoh), iok (yok), iong (yong), iu, iuh, o, ó, oh, óh, oi, ói, oih, óih, ok, ong, u, ü, uh, üh, ui, uí, uk, ük, ung, üng, wa, wah, wai, waih, wak, wang, wi, wí, wih, wíh, wo, woh, woí, woih, wok, wong.

The tables II and III also furnish the data for ascertaining the number of vocables produced by the combination of initials with finals and the modification by tones. The whole number is (15X33X7) 3465. Besides these, there are two words not strictly referable to the table of initial and final sounds, viz., the semi-vocal nasal ng (no, not) on p. 595, and the word ngiau, on p. 610, composed of the initial ng and a final compounded of i and au,–making the whole number of vocables 3467. But probably less than half of these are in actual use. This paucity of vocables or monosyllabic words is largely compensated by the very frequent union of two or more words, virtually forming polysyllables, to express simple ideas. Thus the number of words is in effect increased to several thousands which give to this dialect "a richness and variety of expression but little inferior to that of many alphabetic languages."

. These relate principally to the acquisition of the spoken language.

1. Study thoroughly the Orthography, comprising the rudiments of the language with the elements of initial, final, and tone in single words, as given in the Tables.

2. Practice on the rudiments and tables with the native teacher, learning to enunciate as he does. No extent or thoroughness of independent study can ever compensate for deficiency in such practice.

3. Notice the important changes which occur in combination of tones, as given on pages 8 and 9.