Page:Primary Lessons In Swatow Grammar.djvu/56

36 Adjectives.

Some adjectives find their appropriate place before, and others after, the words they qualify. Others are used either before or after. Usage and euphony determine the position. There is also a variation in the force of the adjective arising from its position in the sentence.


 * kiâm-chúi,
 * salt water.—chúi kiâm, the water is salt.


 * ta̍k-mue̍h,
 * a poisonous substance—mue̍h ta̍k, the thing is poisonous.


 * chhàu-bī,
 * an offensive odor.—bī chhàu, the odor is offensive.


 * phang-bī,
 * a fragrant odor.—bī phang, the odor is fragrant.


 * nah-sap-sièⁿ,
 * a dirty manner (of doing things).


 * a-nôuⁿ-kiáⁿ seⁿ-lâi ngiáⁿ,
 * the child is born beautiful.


 * kín-sṳ̄,
 * an important matter.—sṳ̄ kín, the matter is important.


 * i nâng láu-tōaⁿ,
 * the man is lazy.


 * chhù phâi-chhiâng,
 * the house is beautiful.—phâi-chhiâng-chhù, a beautiful house.


 * si̍t-sim,
 * a true heart.—sim si̍t, the heart is true.


 * phé-saⁿ,
 * a beautiful jacket.—saⁿ phé, the jacket is beautiful.

The English prefixes im, in, ill, un, and dis, and the suffixes less, ble, ful, ing, and ous, often find equivalents in the use of m̄, bô, õi, bõi, ũ, and kâi. Khó and hó often represent the syllable ble. Bô is an equivalent for less; õi and bõi indicate the possession or absence of a quality, and, therefore, convert clauses and sentences into adjective phrases. Ũ and kâi are used in this connection.


 * chò-tit,
 * practicable.—m̄-chò-tit, impracticable.


 * khó-pí,
 * comparable.—m̄-hó-pí, incomparable.


 * khó-chhiè,
 * laughable.—m̄-hó-chhiè, not laughable.


 * khó-kièn,
 * perceptible.—put-khó-kièn, imperceptible.


 * hó-thóiⁿ,
 * visible.—thóiⁿ-bõi-tit-kìⁿ, invisible.


 * hó-chia̍h,
 * edible.—m̄-hó-chia̍h, not edible.


 * khó-íⁿ,
 * practicable.


 * khó-ùi,
 * fearful.


 * khó-sìn,
 * credible.


 * hó-sìn,
 * credible.—m̄-hó-sìn, incredible.


 * hó-sueh,
 * explainable.