Page:Primary Lessons In Swatow Grammar.djvu/35

Interrogatives.

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Interrogation is denoted by tî, who? what? which? tî-tiâng, who? whom? tî-kâi, which one? which? tî-kò, where? whence? mih, which? mih-kâi, which one? what? mih-nâng, which person? sĩ-mih, which? chò; chò-nî, how? why? chãi; hô, how? jie̍h, how much? how many? (applied to quantity and dimensions).

The particles mō, mē, and nē, at the end of sentences make them interrogative; also such words as būe, bô, and m̄ serve the same purpose.

The word kâi so constantly used in questions is in itself a classifier, but is easily made to do the work of a demonstrative pronoun, as is true, also, of other classifiers.

chí sĩ sĩ-mih-mue̍h,

what thing is this?

m̄-chai sĩ sĩ-mih-mue̍h,

I do not know what it is.

chí-kâi sĩ che̍k-pau-ie̍h,

this is a paper of medicine.

chí-kâi sĩ ba̍k-chúi,

this is ink.

chí sĩ sĩ-mih-kâi,

what is this?

chí-kâi sĩ siá-jī kâi khì-kũ,

these are writing materials.

chí-kâi sĩ thit-thô-mue̍h,

these are curiosities.

chí-kâi kiè-chò sĩ-mue̍h,

what do you call this thing?

chiá kiè-chò sĩ-mue̍h,

what do„ you call„ this„ thing?„

chí-kâi kiè-chò sõng-íⁿ,

this is called a rocking chair.

chí-kâi kiè-chò chhoiⁿ-lí-kiàⁿ,

this is called a telescope.

kâi sĩ-mue̍h,

what is this?

kâi sĩ chûn--ēng-kâi,

this is something used on the boat.

ũ sĩ-mih ì-sṳ̀,

what’s the idea?

m̄-chai sĩ-mih ì-sṳ̀,

I don’t know what the idea is.

õ, ì-sṳ̀ sĩ chièⁿ-seⁿ,

O, the idea is this.

i lâi mih-sṳ̄,

what business has he come on?

i-lâi bô-mih-sṳ̄,

he has not come on any business.

i-lâi tàⁿ-ūe,

he has come to speak (to somebody).

i-lâi chhūe chhin-nâng,

he has come to hunt a relative.

i-lâi lí pa̍t-nâng kâi-sṳ̄,

he has come on business for somebody else.

i-lâi bōi-mue̍h,

he has come to sell something.

i-sĩ tõ-chí khiã-khí a-m̄-sĩ,

does he live here?

i-bô tõ-chí khiã-khí,

he does not live here.

i put-kùe sĩ-lâi chò khang-khùe,

he only came to do work.

i-sĩ lâi-chò seng-lí,

he has come to do business.