225. Collective and separating verbs are formed by 攏 ’lóng,collect, and 開 k’é,open.
226. Reflexive action is expressed by placing 自 zz‘ before and after the verb.
Obs. In examples of this sort, the constituent words are pronounced closely together and might be written with hyphens. They correspond in their sense, to the Hithpahel conjugation of Hebrew verbs, and the middle voice of Greek and Sanscrit. In a monosyllabic agglutinating language, no nearer approach, could well be made to an equivalent of those forms, than is exhibited in such groups as these.
Groups. Affirmative and negative. 227. The groups formed by help of the affirmative and negative particles are very numerous, so much so, that they constitute of themselves a feature of the language. The Chinese colloquial idiom is very much indebted to them, for the force and precision which it is acknowledged to possess.
In these groups 得 tuh and 勿 veh (不 púhm.), take the centre, and certain auxiliary words, with some adjectives and verbs stand last. The sense of the principal verb is thus limited and modified in various ways. 得 tuh and 勿 veh being opposite in sense, the modifications they produce in the sense of the verb must be opposed also. They may be reduced to the following pairs of terms.
1st. It is predicted of theagent, that he isableor knowshow to effect the action of the verb and the contrary; e.g. 做得來 tsú‘ tuh lé,able to do or make; 做勿来 tsú‘ veh lé,unable to do or make.
2nd. It is predicated of the agent, that circumstances allow him to effect the action and the contrary. Thus, 當得起 tong tuh ’k’í,in circumstances to bear; 讀勿起tóh veh ’k’í,cannot afford to learn to read; 拖勿起 t’ú veh ’k’í,not strength to drag.
3rd. It is predicated of the action, that it can, or doessucceed, and the opposite; e.g. 尋得着 zing tuh záh,can find(尋 zingseek); 打勿着 ’táng veh záh,it did not, orcannot hit.
4th. It is predicated of the action, that it can, or cannot be performed in a particulardirection; e.g. 走勿進 ’tseu veh tsing‘,cannot go inside.
5th. Of verbs ofmotion,resistanceanddestruction, it is predicated, with the help of auxiliary verbs cognate in meaning, that the act they represent, can or cannot take place. 走得動 ’tseu tuh ’dóngcan walk; 阻勿住 ’tsú veh dzû‘,unable to resist; 解勿脫 ’ká veh t’eh,cannot get rid of.
6th. It is predicated of a verb followed by an adjective, that the act is or can be performed, to the extent indicated the adjective or the contrary; e.g. 醫得好 í (cure) tuh ’hau (good)can be cured; 填勿滿tíenveh ’méncannot be filled by layers.
228. Of the auxiliary words, used in affirmative and negative groups, verbs are the most numerous.
a. 來 lé,come, 出 t’seh,go out, expressable to.
Obs. A group of four is sometimes made by introducing an adverb. 聽大勿出 t’ing dá‘ veh t’seh,I do not hear very well.
b. 起 ’k’í,rise, expressesin circumstances to.
c. 着, 出, 見, záh, t’seh, kíen‘, express success in any single action; verbs of striking and seeking take záh; while verbs of thinking and perception take t’seh and kíen‘.
d. 進, 出, 落, 過, 轉, 開, expressdirectionas in the examples.
e. 脱, 動, 住, t’eh, ’tóng, dzû‘, expressdestruction,motion, andresistance. e.g.
f. 得 tuh, expressespermissionandprohibition.
g. 停, 完, express thecessationof an act.
h. 成功, 盡, 到, expressperfectionof an act.
i. 及kih orkí, expressesthere is time for.
j. 落 loh, expressesroom for.
k. 過 kú‘, indicates that the verb it qualifies will give superiority.
l. 理 ’lí,to control, ’long,bring together, 殺 sah,killand 應yung‘,answer, add their own sense to the verb.
Obs. i. In some instances, the sense of the auxiliaries varies from that assigned to them here; e.g. 看勿起 kön‘ veh ’k’i,to despise; 買勿動 ’má veh ’dóng,not succeed in buying; 相信勿過 siáng sing‘ veh kú‘,incredible; 意勿過 í‘ veh kú‘,cannot but pity; 罷勿得pá‘ veh tuh,indispensable.
Obs. ii. 有 ’yeu,haveand 嘸m,not to have, form withtuha few groups; e.g. 有得吃 ’yeu tuh k’iuh,have something to eat; 嘸得着mtuh tsáh,have nothing to wear.
Obs. iii. Examples are rare in the case of 見, 脱, 動, 應 and 理, The rest are all extensively used.
229. Prepositions similarly employed in these negativeand affirmative groups are rare. Those that are used may also be construed as verbs.
a. 前 zíenbefore.
b. 上 ’zong,forward.
c. 下 ’au,down.
230. Several adjectives are found in these combinations; e.g. 全, 直, 多, 好, 滿, 完, 全, 通, 明 白, etc.
Obs. In the third and fourth examples, and others like them such as 跑得快 pau‘ tuk k’wá‘, the proposition is not one of possibility,he can walk fast, but of fact,he walks fast.
Repetition and Antithesis. 231. These occur extensively among the verbs. The meaning of the word repeated remains unaffected.
а. Many single intransitive verbs, or verbs used intransitively are repeated.
b. Transitive verbs are repeated before the word they govern.
c. k’ön‘,see, occurs after a repeated verb, in a metaphorical sense.
Obs. K’ön‘ also follows other groups, as 念起來看 nian‘ ’k’í lé k’ön‘,read and let me hear.
d. The components of dissyllabic verbs are often repeated.
e. Some dissyllabic verbs repeat themselves, not their component parts.
f. When a dissyllabic from consists of a verb and its subject, a group of four is formed by repeating the former, and supplying the place of the latter by a synonymous or contrasted word.
g. Sometimes both the verb and its object are varied by synonymous or contrasted words.
h. Some verbs are repeated with a pair of antithetical verbs in alteration.
232. The verb is repeated with the intervention of 個 kú‘, or of 一 ih to representa littleof the act in question.
Obs. Sometimes auxiliary substantives supply the place of the repeated verb; e.g. 加一倍 ká ih bé‘,make it as large again. Other auxiliaries are 次, 燙, 囘, t’sz‘, t’ong‘,we‘, applied to any verb in the sense oftimes. For going round in a circle 轉 ’tsénwith the numeral expresses the number of times. For beating 記 kí‘ expresses the number of blows. SeeArt. 163.
(2.)Different kinds of verbs.
Substantive verb. 233. The verbto beused as a copula is often omitted.
234. The words 是[1]’zz and 做 tsú‘ are employed as substantive verbs, and 在 ’dzé, 勒拉 leh ’lá, 勒裏 leh ’lí when existence in place is spoken of. They are put in the negative by prefixing 勿 yeh.
Obs. i. The verb 呌 kiau‘,to callis sometimes so used that is may be translated as a substantive verb; e.g. íyáng‘ ’tau ’lí veh kiau‘ ’hau, 伊樣道理勿呌好that mode of action is not good, oris not what may be called good.
Obs. ii. The words 當, 爲, and 作 are used in fixed phrases, from which they cannot be disengaged. 自家作主 zz‘ ká tsok ’tsû,be your own master; 改惡爲善 ’ké ohwé ’zén,repent and be virtuous; 强盜作反kiáng dau‘ tsok ’fan,the robbers are rebelling; 當兵 tong ping,to be a soldier.
Obs. iii. 做 is also used as a transitive verbmakeordo, which is its primary meaning.
Obs. iv. 有to havewhen no object follows affirms existence and is to be translated by the impersonal substantive verb in English; e.g. 魚有否ng’yeu ’vá,are there any fish?豈有此理 ’k’í ’yeu ’t’sz ’lí,how can this be?(It snows now, is 落雪者 lok sih ’tsé.) Its negative is 嘸mor 嘸沒mmeh.
[1]The substantive verb either simply affirms 是 ’zz or it affirms action 做 tsú‘ or it affirms existence inplace在 ’zé, 勒拉 leh ’lá, or it affirmsexistence有 ’yeu.
235. Transitive verbs take the object after them, while the nominative precedes.
236. When there are two objects as in verbs ofgiving, the nearer comes next to the verb, and the more remote stands last, usually with 拉 ’lá.
Obs. This is the same as Remusat’s rule, “Dans les verbes à double rapport’ le complément direct se place après le verbe, et est suivi du complément indirect” 天子能薦人於天 t’íen’tsz nung tsíen‘ zun ü t’íen,the emperor can propose a person to Heaven; the order is not however confined to this one form; e.g. 送拉儂個物事 sóng‘ ’lá nóng‘ kú‘ meh zz‘,I bring you a present, is the same as, sóng‘ meh zz‘ ’lá nóng‘; 送儂兩個物事 sóng‘ nóng‘ ’liáng kú‘ meh zz‘I bring you a few things, is just as proper as sóng‘ ’liáng kú‘ meh zz‘ ’lá nóng.
237. The object is made to precede the transitive verb, by the use of the auxiliary 担 tan, which is also the sign of the instrument.
238. Intransitive verbs when not followed by a preposition or another verb, prefer the last place.
Obs. When a preposition is employed to connect an intransitive verb with a substantive, the verb may precede or follow; e.g. 到此地來 tau‘ ’t’sz dí‘ lé,come hereis equivalent to lé tau‘ ’t’sz dí‘. So also 坐拉第搭, ’zú ’látí‘ tah,sit here, is the same as ’látí‘ tah ’zú.
239. The passive is formed by prefixing the auxiliary verb 撥 peh,give, with the substantive that represents the agent, to the transitive verb.
Obs. i. This auxiliary particle 撥 peh,give, has in all four uses:— Active, 撥三兩個銅錢拉伊 peh san’liang kú‘tóng dien’lá í,give him two or three cash. Passive, 撥拉父母責備 peh ’lá ’vú ’mú tsah bé‘,he was rebuked by his parents. 我個帽子撥拉人偷之去者 ’ngú kú‘ mau‘ ’tsz peh ’lá niun t’eu tsz k’í‘ ’tsé,my hat has been stolen by some one. Causative, 撥拉伊死 peh ’lá í ’sí,cause him to die; 伊撥拉我喫虧者 í peh ’lá ’ngú k’iuh k’ü (k’wé) ’tsé,he has caused me to suffer. (m.使 shï‘ 呌 kiau‘, chiau‘.) Permissive, 啥人肯撥拉別人欺負呢 sá‘ niun ’k’ung peh ’lá bih niun c‘hi vú‘ ni?who is willing to allow others to insult him?勿要撥拉別人哄騙儂 veh yau‘ peh ’lá bih niun hóng‘ p‘ien‘ nóng‘,do not allow others to deceive you.
Obs. ii. In mandarin it is not the common word togive, that is chosen for the passive auxiliary, but a word set apart for this purpose 被 pei‘.
Obs. iii. ’Zeu 受to receive, is often used as a passive, e.g. 勿肯受 別人罵 veh ’k’ung ’zeu bih niun mó‘,unwilling to be spoken ill of by others. K’iuh 吃 is found in combination as in the next examples. When separated from the groups where it is the sign of the passive, it recovers its transitive senseto eat.
240. Verbs are made causative By prefixing kau‘,to call, or peh,to give.
Obs. i The English auxiliary verbmustis expressed by ’tsóng, as in 總要牢實’tsóng yau‘ lau zeh,you must be upright.
Obs. ii. The derivative verbs which have been already illustrated are the following:— Inchoative, 提起筆來ti ’k’í pih lé,take up the pen; Reflexive, 自怨自 zz‘ yön‘ zz‘,be one’s own enemy; Collective, 合攏來heh ’lóng lé,combine together; Separative, 折開 來 t’sák k’é lé,pull open; Completing, 造完 ’zau wén,finish building; Resisting, 擋住 tong dzû‘,stand against; Destroying, 丢脫 tieu t’eh,throw away. There are also forms for the various directions indicated by prepositions, v.Art. 223.
(3.)Modes of verbs.
241. In very many cases the mood is determined entirely from the sense, and has no particular sign.
Obs. Here the four principal moods of Latin grammar are exemplified without any distinctive sign.
242. The particle 者 ’tsé and 末 meh, at the end of the clause often markindicativeandconditionalprepositions respectively.
Obs. i. The conditional clause always precedes.
Obs. ii. These particles may in many cases be omitted without affecting the sense. 勿落雨百姓要苦惱 veh loh ’upák sing‘ yau‘ ’k’ú ’nau,if it does not rain, the people must suffer.
Obs. iii. In any two connected clauses, whether the former be conditional or not, these particles are frequently used; e.g. k’ön‘ kíen‘ tsz ’t’au van‘ kú‘ meh, dzieu‘ ’táng ’k’í lé ’tsé. 看見之討飯 個末就打起來者when he saw the beggars, he began beating them. Both these clauses are in the past time.
Obs. iv. An indicative clause standing alone often takes 者 ’tsé. Thus 來者 lé ’tsé,I am come, orI come; 去者 k’i‘ ’tsé,I go.
243. Another particle found in conditional sentences, is 之 tsz, appended to the verb. This marks the past participle of the verb.
244. Apotentialmood is formed by many of the groups already illustrated. Both kinds of ability, absolute or natural, and limited or moral, are found in them. For examples of the former kind:—
Obs. 會wé‘, prefixed to verbs makes them potential 念勿來 nian‘ veh lé,I cannot read, is equivalent to vehwé‘ nian‘.
245. The limited potential mood is formed by 起’k’í, e.g.
246. Apermissiveandprohibitivemood is formed by,—
a. 得 tuh.
b. 好 ’hau, and 可以 ’k’ó ’í, also give a permissive sense.
247. Anoptativemode of the verb is formed by pó veh tuh, andhng‘ veh tuh. (恨hng‘, west of Shángháihung‘).
248. Theimperative(1) in its negative form takes 要 yau‘,want, with the common negative particle 勿 veh.
(2.) The affirmative form of theimperativeis expressed by the verb alone, or by 末者 meh ’tsé, or 罷pá‘ appended sometimes to a few verbs.
Obs. All the verbs single and grouped, except those with the affirmative and negative, may be used as imperatives without a particle. 走過來 ’tseu kú‘ lé, means eitherI am passing youorpass over to me.
249. theInfinitiveit may be remarked, (1.) that it stands first in many negative groups not potential. v.Art. 228. g.
(2) That when a verb is made the subject of a proposition, while the predicate follows with a copula, the verb is translated in the infinitive, e.g.
250. When a verb takes a case particle, it is construed as a present participle or gerund.
Obs. The supinein order tohas no sign, 買點啥去者, ’má ’tíensá‘ k’í‘ ’tsé,he is gone (in order) to buy something; 我來望望㑚 ’ngú lé mong‘ mong‘ ná‘,I come to see you. v.252. f.
251. The forms of interrogation are of two kinds.
1. By the interrogative particles man‘ and ’vá.
2. By putting the question in the form of an affirmative and negative, side by side. The particle ní is often placed between.
Obs. After ní, the second clause is sometimes supplied by sa‘; e.g.
(4)Particles of time, forming tenses of verbs.
252. For the expression of present time, no auxiliary word is necessary.
Obs. Instead of considering the rest of the tenses in their order, it will be better to take the particles in succession, and show what tenses they may be used for.
a. 歇 h’ih,a moment; this particle gives a past sense to the phrases in which it occurs, and is perhaps most accurately designated anaorist.
b. 者 ’tsé, 哩 ’lí; these particles express that the action is completed, or determined on.m.了 ’liaú. Their English grammatical equivalent is usually the passive participle joined with the auxiliary verbto be.
c. 過 kú‘,past; this particle has the sense of the preterite tense.
Obs. 有 ’yeu and 可 ’k’ó, employed in some dialects as signs of the past, are never so used in this.
d. 歇者 h’ih ’tsé or h’ih ’lá ’tsé, express perfect time.
e. 過歇 kú‘ h’ih, form a perfect farther in the past than the above.
f. 要 yau‘ expresses future time; sometimestsiángprecedes. 要 may often be translatedin order to(supine)
g. 將 tsiáng, is frequently used for the future.
Obs. These particles give the affirmative future. The form for the negative is different as is shown below.
h. 之 tsz; this particle appended to a verb, gives it the time of a past participle. English auxiliary participlehaving.
Obs. As a relative tense particle, this word may be used in past or future time. In the former case, it is the sign of the narrative participle; e.g. 看見之山高咾走上去者 k’ön‘ kíen‘ tsz sankau lau, ’tseu ’zong k’í‘ ’tsé,seeing the hill was high, he went up. In the latter case it forms a future perfect, such as is introduced in English with “when,” 寫好之撥拉我看 ’sia ’hau tsz peh ’lá ’ngú k’ön‘,when you have written it, let me see it. The conditional particle 末 meh, is frequently introduced at the end of the first clause.
i. 曾 zung; as 之 tsz expresses the past in affirmative sentences, so zung in those that are negative.
Obs. In a negative reply to a question, this particle is introduced, when in English the present tense is employed; 勿曾去 veh zung k’í‘,he is not gone.
253. Adverbs of time often render these particles unnecessary.
254. The particles for future time are not used in the negative form.
Obs. i. If yau‘ 要 is employed in a negative sentence whose time is future, it is in the sense ofwishormust; e.g. 我勿要去 ’ngú veh yau‘ k’í‘,I do not wish to go. 將 tsiáng, when it occurs, must stand first, so that when 勿 veh introduces the sentence, it cannot form a part of it.
Obs. ii. 勿見得 veh kíen‘ tuh,it is not likely, is very commonly employed as a negative future; e.g. 勿見得落雨 veh kíen‘ tuh loh ’u,it is not likely to rain, orit will not rain.
255. Examples of some verbs that require illustration are here appended.
а. 當 tong in combinationought,receive: tong‘regard as, to pawn. N. B. The tone differs in the last two senses.
b. 打 ’táng,beat, set in operation.
c. 待té‘,to treat, wait.
d. 銷 siau,consume, melt.
e. 對 té‘ (d)correspond, opposite.
f. 弄 lóng‘,meddle with, play with.
g. 費 fí‘,to expend.
h. 是 ’zz,it is, it is right, right.
i. 話wó‘,say(m.’kiáng, or shwóh), in combination,words.
k. 可 ’k’ó,can, may.
Obs. These forms with ’k’ó, might also, if construed as dissyllables, be placed among the adjectives, as derivatives from verbs.
l. 倒 ’tau,to overturn.
m. 生 sáng,produce, be by nature, be born.
256. The words that express the relations (cases) of nouns to one another are placed, some of them before and some after the governed substantive. The case particles that are used for the dative and ablative are prepositions, as also those that expressmotion towardsandsubstitution.
Obs. i. 勒拉 leh lá, a locative particle also precedes its noun. 在 zé‘,itsm.equivalent is in our dialect only used in fixed collocations, as 實在 zeh zé‘,certain.
Obs. ii. 自 zz‘ is an inseparable preposition used in combination with zóng,from. 當 a locative preposition, preceding its noun, is also only found in fixed groups; e.g. 當初 tong t’sú,formerly.
Obs. iii. Several of these words are also used as verbs with a cognate sense, viz. 徒, 到, 對, 而,to follow, to arrive at, to correspond, to take origin from.
Obs. iv. 爲wé‘,on account of, is found with the particles 之 tsz, or 着 záh; 搭 tah also very frequently takes 之 tsz.
Obs. v. 連 líen,together with, is also used as a verb toconnect. It frequently takes 搭 tah, after it; e.g. 連搭一家屋裏人 líentah ih ká óh ’lí niun,together with all his family.
257. The particles that are used for the locative case are postpositions.
Obs. i. 裏 ’lí, forms the compound 裏向 ’lí h’iáng,m.中 chóng; 以 ’í, combines with 外 ngá‘, 前 zíenand 後 ’heu, in the sense ofbeside,beforeandafter, orsince; e.g. 今朝以後 kiun tsau ’í ’heu‘,after to-day. Numerous compounds of these words, which will be found among the adverbs, are also often used as prepositions. SeeSection 9.
Obs. ii. The mandarin 中 chóng,inside, is found in some compounds; e.g. 空中 k’óng tsóng,in the air.
258. Forms borrowed from other parts of speech, compensate for the absence of several prepositions.
1.Of, the particle of the genitive case is compensated for either by juxtaposition, or by the particle 個 kú‘.
2.With, (instrumental) by, are expressed by 担 tan, and peh ’la or peh.
3.Exceptis expressed by the verb 除脫 dzû t’eh, usually with 以外 ’í ngá‘, or 外頭 ngá‘ deu, ending the clause.
4.Besideis expressed by, 勿算 veh sön‘, at the end of the clause.
5.Beyondtakes 過去 kú‘ k’í‘, or 外頭 ngá deu.
6.Throughorpass byis expressed by kiung kú‘ or kú‘ alone.
7.Towardsis expressed by the verbs 朝, 望, 對 zau, mong‘, té‘.
Obs. Some of these prepositions in English, are easily reduced to verbs and substantives. The author of the Diversion of purley would readily find an etymology for them all. In common English grammars, such words asregardingandrespecting, are set down among the prepositions, without a word to tell the juvenile student, how it is that prepositions come to be formed by the terminationing.
Quality. 259. Adverbs of manner are formed by affixing zén,hú, nung and ’lí, to repeated adjectives.
Obs. i. Zénandhú, are found in book phrases transferred to the dialect. Expressions formed with nung and ’lí, are pure colloquial, and are very numerous.
Obs. ii. Kiau‘ is used in one instance 慢慢敎 man‘ man‘ kiau‘,slowly.
Obs. iii. Long adjective groups are more frequently used as adverbs than as adjectives. They do not take the formative particles zén, nung etc. 走路一門心思 ’tseu lú‘ ih mun sing sz,he walks eagerly.
260. The numerals 一 ih, 兩 ’liáng, combine with certain words, principally adjectives, to form adverbs.
Obs. These may be shown by examples to be adverbs. 放拉兩起個 fong‘ ’lá ’liáng k’í‘ kú‘,place them apart; 當伊父母一般 tong‘ í ’vú ’mú ih pén,treats him in the same way that he does his parents.
261. Repeated adjectives standing before verbs, are used as adverbs.
Obs. Sometimes the adjective is not repeated, as in 慢去 man‘ k’í‘,be slow to go, good bye, In 走好 ’tseu ’hau,walk carefully, the adverb follows the verb as in English.
262. Repeated forms imitative of natural sounds are in frequent use.
Obs. Words of this sort occur so frequently in conversation, that at the risk of their being thought too amusing for a serious book they are here noticed. The second and third tones scarcely occur in these onomatopœia. The forms used in other dialects differ from these.
263. Adverbs of manner applied to qualify actions, and not reducible to the heads already given are such as,—
264. There is a large number of primitive adverbs, applied to qualify adjectives.
а. 更 kung‘, 還wan, 又i‘, 再 tse‘, signifymore. They precede their word, and form the comparative degree, v.Art. 177.
b. 頂 ’ting, 最 tsûe‘, 極kiuh, 蠻 man, 怪 kwá‘, 好 ’hau, 狠 ’hun,very. These words precede their word and form the superlative. v.Art. 178.
c. 些 ’sí, 煞 sah, 極kiuh, 野 ’yá, come after their word and form a superlative.
d. 忒 t’uh, gives to adjectives the sense oftoo; e.g. 忒大 t’uh dú‘,too large.
Obs. i. These words which in English qualify only adjectives, sometimes qualify verbs whether construed as participles or not. 頂愛拉 個 ’ting é‘ ’lá kú‘,the most beloved; 蠻會做 manwé‘ tsú‘,extremely well able to do it; 話煞wó‘ sah,say decisively; 極有文 理kiuh ’yeu vun ’lí,has very (great) literary beauty; orit has extreme beauty.
Obs. ii. The mandarin intensitive particle 好 ’hau is found only in the phrase 好幾 ’hau ’kí,very many.
Obs. iii. It has been seen in illustrating the comparison of adjectives, that some verbs, single and grouped with the auxiliaries tuh and lé, (得, 來,) are applied to adjectives. In addition to the examples there given, may be noticed 熱勿過 nyih veh kú‘,unbearably hot.
Correlative Adverbs. 265. The questions how? how much? how many? why? when? and where? are formed by interrogative pronouns with the most general words for manner, place and time, and a mere particle for the rest.
Obs. i.How may parts in ten?is 十分裏幾分seh vun‘ ’lí ’kí vun‘.The answer might be 十分裏有三分seh vun‘ ’lí ’yeu sanvun‘,three tenths. Questions and replies may be framed in the same way with any numerals.
Obs. ii. For other examples, see section on pronouns, to which etymologically these words belong.
Obs. iii.How much more used as a logical particle, is expressed by 何况於hú hwong‘ ü.
266. The adverbs corresponding to these,thus, however, whenever, whereverare expressed in various ways.
Obs. i. Other examples may be seen in the section on pronouns. The answers towhen? where? how many?will be found among the adverbs of time, place and number.Why?is answered by any direct statement, with or without the conjunction 因爲 yungwé‘.
Obs. ii. Dzûe bíen‘, veh lun‘, veh kü, are properly verb combinations. They meanfollowing your convenience, without regarding, not constraining.
Quantity. 267. The forms forabout, enough, much, little, together, etc. are such as follow:—
a.About, is expressed by pó, kwong ’kiung, after their word, and yáh,teu, before.
Obs. A very common form is 差勿多 t’só veh tú,not far wrong, which is used in the same sense as the above words.
b.Enoughandnot enoughare expressed by keu‘, veh tsóh, veh kûnzz‘, k’iöh ’sau and some verbs with the negative.
Obs. These words might be divided between adjectives and verbs, and no place reserved for them here, were it not that their equivalents in English and other languages are adverbs.
c.Much, more, manyare all expressed by the adjective 多 tú. If tú precedes it ismore(adv.): if it follows its word, it ismuchormany(adj.) Other words formoreare 還wan, 越 yöh, and the verbs ká, t’íen, ’tíen, etc.
Obs. For examples of such forms as 好幾 ’hau ’kí, 多許 tú hau‘,many. See section on pronouns. The only words here adduced that can claim to be adverbs are 越still more, 也too, andwan還.Toois an adverb in English, but its equivalent 也 becomes by its position a conjunction, andwanwhen it is not an adverb of timestill, may often fairly be considered a conjunction.
d.Less, feware represented by 少 ’sau, standing before its word, and by such borrowed phrases as veh siau,not necessary, less: ’yeuhien‘ k’ú‘,few, not much.
e.A little, any, are used sometimes adverbially in English. Their representatives in our dialect are liák sü, ’sauwé, sü ’sau with the auxiliary substantive forms ih ’ngan, ’tíen, etc.
Obs. ’Tíen, ih ’ngan, when they follow an adjective, while placing it in the comparative degree, preserve their own sensea little; e.g. 好一眼多謝 ’hau ih ’ngantú zia‘,a little better thank you; 快點走 k’wá‘ ’tíen’tseu,walk a little faster.
f.Not very, very much, too muchare expressed by the derivative adverb, veh da‘ ’lí, and the formsseh fun,seh ní‘ fun, kú‘ vun‘, t’uh kú‘ vun‘.
g.Not at all, not in the least, are translated in several ways.
h. Toaltogethercorrespond ’lóng ’tsóng,kóng ’tsóng, tseu sun, ’lóng ’t’óng.
i.Mostly, chiefly, are expressed by pronominal forms, which have been already partially illustrated.
j.Halfis sometimes used in English as an adverb; so also it is in Chinese, as in the following phrases.
Obs. The other proportional parts, such as 四分裏一分 si‘ vun‘ ’lí ih vun‘,a quarter; 十分裏一分seh vun‘ ’lí ih vun‘,one tenth, are much too long to enter into such groups.