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LESSON XXVIII (CONTINUED).
77
In common conversation, these auxiliary words are often omitted. There is usually no difficulty in apprehending the meaning. Two clauses or two sentences are spoken-in such close connection that the dependence expressed by the subjunctive ‘if’ is obvious. We have analogous expressions in English, such as, “No cure, no pay.” “No fish, no dinner.” This curt style is in constant use.
- thiⁿ-sî-hó chiũ-àiⁿ chèng-choh,
- (if) the weather is good then I will work.
- ũ-hó-huang chiũ-àiⁿ-khṳ̀,
- (if) a fair wind then I shall go.
- ũ-chò-kang chiũ-ũ-ngṳ̂n,
- (if) work then pay.
- ũ-pn̄g chiũ-àiⁿ-chia̍h,
- (if) there is any rice then I will eat.
- ũ-chûn khṳ̀ chiũ-àiⁿ tah-chûn,
- (if) a boat goes I will go by boat.
- bô-chûn, chiũ-kiâⁿ-lōu,
- (if) no boat, then I will walk.
- ũ nâng-ji̍p--lâi, lṳ́ chiũ-lâi-tàⁿ,
- (if) any body comes in call me.
- i lâi-khie̍h chiũ pun-i khie̍h,
- (if) he comes to get it let him have it.
- ũ chiũ-hó, bô chiũ bô-siang-kan,
- (if) you have then well, (if) not then no matter.
- ũ-nâng-khṳ̀ uá àiⁿ chò-pû-khṳ̀,
- (if) there is any body going I want to go along.
- chá-ji̍t soiⁿ ṳ̃-pī, kim-ji̍t õi-tit hù-tie̍h-chûn,
- (if) yesterday you had made ready to-day you might have embarked.
- bô-Iâ-sou ui--i, tî-tiâng õi-tit hù-tie̍h-chûn?
- (if) Jesus had not healed him, who could have done it?
- bô-chí nõⁿ-nâng, bô-ēng,
- (if) you don't have these two men all is no use.
- i tàⁿ, bô-sũn Môⁿ-sai kâi-kui-kṳ́ bõi-tit-kiù, they said,
- (if) you don’t observe the law of Moses you cannot be saved.
- hiá! lṳ́ m̄-hàuⁿ chiũ-hiah,
- oh, very well! (if) you don't want to you can stop.
- mài-sin-seⁿ khṳ̀, liáu kim-ji̍t chiũ-e̍k bûn-chṳ,
- (if) the teacher had not gone, to-day we would have translated the despatch.
- ũ-chîⁿ-thàn uá chiũ-lâi,
- (if) money is to be made I will come.
- uá chiẽⁿ-suaⁿ kâi-sî-hāu, lṳ́ a-sĩ thóiⁿ--kìⁿ-uá, chiũ-hó-tùe,
- when I go up the mountain if you see me, you may follow me.
- chò-uá ìn-tap--i, uá chiũ-tàⁿ bô-chièⁿ-ngiâm,
- (if) it had been myself answering him, I would not have spoken so harshly.
- chai ũ-bí miń-hàm-lṳ́ khṳ̀-tia̍h,
- (if) I had known there was rice, I need not have told you to go and buy.
- chí-kâi-chhù khí-lâi khiàng, mién-chhiáⁿ sai-pẽ lâi-póu,
- (if) the house had been strongly built, I would not have hud to send for a mechanic to come and mend it.
