PIDGIN-ENGLISH VOCABULARY.
In this Vocabulary C.V. indicates that the word is taken from a Chinese vocabulary of Pidgin-English, M. that it is Mandarin-Chinese, and Canton, from the Canton dialect. These Chinese words are seldom or never heard in pure Pidgin, but their utility in certain cases is manifest. For the Mandarin words I am indebted to "Chinese Without a Teacher," by H. A. Giles; for those from the Chinese Vocabulary, to a MS. version by Prof. R. K. Douglas; and for many other terms, as well as for much kind assistance and suggestion, not only to these gentlemen, but also to Ng Choy, Esq., of Lincoln's Inn, to Mr Th. A. Arnett, and Mr R. Scott Walker. I have in this collection also given many Anglo-Indian and other words not strictly Pidgin, but as they are constantly occurring in it, or are used by Englishmen and Americans in China, they have a certain relation to the dialect.
A.
- Ah-kwan-tsae,
- gentleman.
- Ai! Hai!
- a very common interjection. It frequently precedes yah. Hai yah! fan-kwei lo! Ha, foreign devils! (foreigners.)
- Allo, áll-o,
- all; every. "Allo man talkee my so-fashion."
- All-plopa,
- quite right.
- All-same,
- like; as; similar; identical; agreeing with.
- Amah,
- a Chinese nurse. Hindu, ayah. In Mandarin dialect, lowmur.
