is going on, but when the action is completed, and motion ceases, the same word then becomes sí, as believing — belief. In each of the ensuing sentences, the first two words are ua̍h, but the sentences have a sí-jī out come, because nothing is effected. Oĩ-tàⁿ—bõi-kiâⁿ, can say—but can’t do. Oĩ-siẽⁿ—bõi-chò, can think—but can't act. Ũ-kha—bõi-kiâⁿ, has feet—but can’t walk. Ũ-chhiú—bõi-khie̍h-mue̍h, has hands — but can't take anything.
Proximate Equivalents.
From all this, it will appear that the Chinese have no such grammatical code as exists elsewhere. But they have a well established usus loquendi which serves them instead of a code. To conform to this in speech is to be grammatical, to vary from it is to be ungrammatical. In correcting an erroneous form of speech, a Chinese teacher does not say to his pupil, “You are violating a rule.” but, “You are departing from the usage. Nobody says it that way.” This is supposed to be quite enough.
In what is now to be presented the grammatical nomenclature of the West is introduced, but not with the expectation of being able always to find exact counterparts therefor, It is used for convenience in classification, and the design of the present endeavor will be met if proximate equivalents can be found for some of our Western grammatical forms of speech.
- thóu-ūe,
- local dialect.
- pe̍h-ūe,
- plain words; colloquial, as opposed to, kuaⁿ-ūe.
- lṳ́ hó-tàⁿ pe̍h-ūe,
- you please speak the colloquial.
- lṳ́ hó-tàⁿ-pe̍h-ūe pun uá-thiaⁿ,
- please speak in colloquial, and let me hear.
- uá thiaⁿ m̄-mêng, lṳ́ chài-tàⁿ,
- I don’t hear clearly, say it again.
- sin-seⁿ lṳ́ tàⁿ-ūe màiⁿ-khah-méⁿ,
- teacher, don’t speak too fast.
- lṳ́ sueh-mêng khṳt-uá thiaⁿ,
- explain it for me to hear.
- lṳ́ lêng-gūa chài-tàⁿ,
- say it over again.
