Page:Primary Lessons In Swatow Grammar.djvu/122

102 Abbreviations.

Colloquial speech abounds in abbreviated expressions. There is a great disposition to drop parts of well known sentences and to make the remaining parts do duty for the whole. Sometimes the middle part is left out and the two ends are fused together into a new compendious expression which is current coin in every day speech. This is conspicuous in counting. It is called tàⁿ-kán, saying it short, and such expressions are called, kán-niap kâi-ūe.