Page:Primary Lessons In Swatow Grammar.djvu/79

Rh Number.

The Singular is expressed by the numeral che̍k, it, one; toaⁿ, one, only: to̍k; to̍k-it, a single one; also, by a classifier used alone, or in connection with one of the previous words. Often times there is nothing to indicate either singular or plural, as, ũ-nâng-tõ, may mean either that there is one man, or that there are several.


 * che̍k-pé-tāu,
 * one handful of beans.


 * che̍k-tàⁿ-thn̂g,
 * one “carry” of sugar.


 * che̍k-táu-bí,
 * one measure of rice.


 * che̍k-ūi nàng-kheh,
 * one guest personage.


 * che̍k-ki-sam,
 * one log of pine.


 * chiah-chûn; che̍k-chiah-chûn; toaⁿ-chiah-chûn,
 * one boat


 * kù-ūe; che̍k-kù-ūe; toaⁿ-kâi-ūe tiāⁿ-tiāⁿ,
 * only one sentence.


 * toaⁿ-kâi-nâng,
 * a single man.


 * to̍k-it chin-Sîn,
 * the only one true God.


 * to̍k-ma̍k, to̍k-chhiú, to̍k-kha,
 * only a single eye, hand, or foot.


 * toaⁿ-sin,
 * a single person; self.


 * toaⁿ-ka-kī; toaⁿ-chṳ̃-kí,
 * one’s self only.


 * toaⁿ-chūa,
 * a single trip.


 * toaⁿ-che̍k-ē,
 * only one time.


 * phah-nâng toaⁿ-che̍k-ē,
 * knock at the door only once.

The Plural is indicated, (1) by repeating the word; (2) by certain plural prefixes and suffixes, as téng; húe, class; chèng; huàⁿ; tou; hãm; ha̍p, all; kúi, several; ke, many (húe often has the force of a demonstrative pronoun); (3) by words signifying two, or a pair, as sang ; liáng ; tùi; (4) by collective nouns of multitude, as cha̍p, ten; peh, a hundred; khûn, a multitude; tīn, a file, or flock.


 * úa-téng,
 * we.


 * nâng-téng,
 * men.


 * kiâⁿ-chûn--húe,
 * sailors.


 * choh-chhân--húe,
 * farmers.


 * tha̍k-chṳ--húe,
 * scholars.


 * chò seng-lí--húe,
 * merchants.


 * chò-kuaⁿ--húe,
 * those who are officials.


 * lãu-tōa--húe,
 * the aged, or those who are aged.


 * hãu-seⁿ--húe,
 * the young, or, those who are young.