chhù sie-tiāu--liáu, the house is burned, is sí because the energy has ceased. Hṳ̂ lia̍h-jie̍h-chōi? how many fish did you catch? is ua̍h, but lia̍h-bô-hṳ̂, caught no fish, is sí.
It is common to hear scholars speak of a sí word being used as an ua̍h word, and of an ua̍h word being used as a sí word. It is obvious that something more may be intended by this than simply that nouns are used as verbs, and verbs as nouns. It evidently includes personification and the figurative use of language.
In the following examples, as the Chinese say, sí-jī chò-ua̍h-jī ēng, dead words are used as live ones. In each example following, the first Chinese word, or the first two or three words before the dash — are sí, as, sí-nâng—à-kàu-khiã, a dead man argues till he starts erect. The words, sí-nâng, are sí, for, says the scholar triumphantly, “How can a dead man argue at all? It is not real; he is only supposed to do so.” That is, it is figurative. Bô-kha-nâng–lia̍h--tie̍h, caught by a no—footed man. The three words, bô-kha-nâng, are sí for how can a no-footed man catch any body? Chheⁿ-mêⁿ-nˆn̄g thóiⁿ-kìⁿ, a blind man seeing! How can a blind man see? He is only supposed to; it is figurative. Suaⁿ—õi-kiè, kok—õi-ìn, the mountain can call, the valley can answer. Suaⁿ and kok are sí words, spoken of as if animate. Hái—õi-chhiè, the sea can laugh. Gue̍h—õi-khui-keng, the moon can draw a bow. San-hû chhiū—õi-khui-hue, coral can blossom. The words hái, gue̍h, and San-hû-chhiū, are all sí. What they do is done figuratively.
In the following examples, ua̍h-jī chò-sí-jī ēng, live words are used as dead ones. Koi—bõi-thî, a fowl cannot crow. Káu—bõi-pūi, a dog cannot bark. Bé—bôi-pháu, horse cannot run. “Why can they not?” asks the Chinaman, “They all have the power to do it.” Their inability, then, is not real but figurative. To living things are ascribed the characteristics of dead things. Sim ngẽ-kùe-chie̍h, the heart is harder than stone. This is included in the same class because the hardness is not real but figurative. Aìⁿ-sueh-huap, bô-nâng-lâi, wanted to explain the method, but nobody came. Aìⁿ-sueh-huap, is ua̍h, but because the intended action fails of accomplishment it becomes sí. In like manner any given word may be ua̍h, while the action
