Primary Lessons in Swatow Grammar

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Primary Lessons in Swatow Grammar (1884)
by William Ashmore
4113702Primary Lessons in Swatow Grammar1884William Ashmore

Primary Lessons

in

Swatow Grammar

[Colloquial]

by

Rev. William Ashmore D. D.


English Presbyterian Mission Press.

Swatow.

1884.

page

Preface.

The Grammatical Notes which here appear under the name of Primary Lessons, were gathered some years ago, but the writer did not deem them of sufficient value to seek their publication. A few months ago, through the favor of Rev. William Duffus, then having charge of the small but efficient press established by the English Presbyterian Mission, such an opportunity presented itself to have the Notes printed, that a desire was stimulated to see if they could be made helpful to beginners.

But now the writer was not yet recovered from a long attack of ophthalmia, and could not use his eyes to make the final preparation. In this emergency he was glad to avail himself of the generous offer of assistance from Miss Norwood. She transcribed the entire manuscript, and superintended its passage through the press. It is due to her, therefore, and to the indulgence of those in charge of the Presbyterian Mission Press that the book now appears. When occasional help was needed in proof reading, it was most kindly rendered by Mr. Duffus, Mr. Gibson, Mr. Partridge, and Mr. Ashmore, Jr. The improved list of “Sounds of the Letters” was prepared by Mr. Ashmore, Jr., and the Syllabary at the end, by Mr. Partridge.

To those who may pass judgment on the nature of the work, the writer has to ask that the design of the little book be kept in view. It is not intended as a setting forth of the usages and principles of Chinese grammar in general, but of the Swatow dialect only. Furthermore, it is an elementary work designed for beginners. If it shall help any of them to tide over some of the difficulties which meet them at the outset, until they shall be able to prepare more elaborate notes for themselves, the writer will be repaid for his labor, and will achieve all he dares hope for.

W. A.

Swatow, June, 1884.

EXPLANATIONS AND ERRATA.

In making translations of the Chinese sentences a uniform rule has not been adhered to. In some cases literal renderings are given. In others when the Chinese construction is readily apprehended, ordinary idiomatic English equivalents are preferred. To have given both literal and idiomatic English equivalents to the same Chinese sentence would have taken too much space.

The lists of Chinese equivalents for English Prepositions, Adverbs, and Interjections are meagre, but the pupil can largely add to the number by looking under the proper words in Mr. Duffus’, Vocabulary.

It is to be regretted that so many errata are to be found. In addition to those that follow are some minor ones, some of which could not be avoided. Thus, under “Interjections” there is a deficiency of exclamation points, owing to incompleteness in the font. Some others are found in connection with the use of capitals, and hyphen and punctuation marks. Lesson XX does not appear under its own proper designation. Through some oversight, it was incorporated in Lesson XIX. Blemishes of this kind may be pardoned when it is stated that, owing to absences in the country of proof readers, the final proof, in a few instances, was not seen at all before the sheets were struck off; and, that the two young Chinese compositors who set up the type do not know a word of English. They follow copy without knowing what it means. That they do their work so creditably is owing to the pains taken to train them by Mr. Duffus and Mr. Gibson.

Page 2 line 21 for characters read characters.
Page 2 line 41 for but read But.
Page 7 line 4&5 for hùe read húe.
Page 7 line 7 for that. read this.
Page 9 line 22 for hùaⁿ read hàuⁿ.
Page 10 line 11,12,13,32,34,&35 for read tî.
Page 16 line 26 for read Gôu.
Page 17 line 18 for read hô.
Page 17 line 27 for ngn̂ read ngṳ̂n.
Page 20 line 39 for read kò.
Page 21 line 26 for khṳ́ read khṳ̀.
Page 24 line 21 omit have.
Page 41 line 33 for sin read sim.
Page 42 line 11 for thâng read thàng.
Page 46 line 4 for pigs and dogs read thieves.
Page 59 line 15 omit or.
Page 59 line 20 for nâng read mn̂g.
Page 60 line 30 for chōiⁿ read chōi.
Page 73 line 36 for rubbed on him read rubbed on by him.
Page 76 line 1 for kṳ́ read kṳ̃.
Page 95 line 29 for aganin read again.
Page 114 line 2 for ided read idea.
Page 115 line 32 for á read à.
Page 117 line 5 for lẽng read lêng.
Page 119 line 25 for jien read jiên.
Page 120 line 25 for Gospee read Gospel.
Page 121 line 29 for read ũ.
Page 127 for Châu read chau.
Page 131 for chhiê read chhiè.
Page 131 for framents read fragments.
Page 131 for j gṳ̄, aed read gṳ̄, jade.
Page 133 for Hiēⁿ read Hieⁿ.
Page 137 under kiē insert Kieⁿ, ginger. kiêⁿ, better.
Page 141 for, Liap, a of small round classifier objects.
Page 141 read, Lia̍p, a classifier of small round objects.
Page 141 for, compainon read companion.
Page 142 for read lô.
Page 142 for read ló.
Page 143 for Mak read Ma̍k.
Page 143 under miâⁿ, a name, insert miāⁿ, life.
Page 144 for Nauⁿ read Náuⁿ.
Page 149 under Sie, insert sié, small.
Page 154 for Thian read Thiau.
Page 154 for thiân read thiâu.
Page 155 for theives read thieves.

page

CONTENTS.

Introduction Page I
Grammar. Page 1
LESSON I. Pronouns. Page 5
LESSON II. Short Sentences Page 6
LESSON III. Short Sentences. Page 7
LESSON IV. Declension of Pronouns. Page 8
LESSON V. Sentences. Page 9
LESSON VI. Other Pronominal Words. Page 10
LESSON VII. Substantive Verb. Page 11
LESSON VIII. Possessive Verb. Page 13
LESSON IX. Interrogatives. Page 15
LESSON X. Time. Page 18
LESSON XI. Place, Direction, &c. Page 20
LESSON XII. Quantity. Page 23
LESSON XIII. The Article. Page 25
LESSON XIV. Prepositions and equivalents. Page 27
LESSON XV. Conjunctions. Page 29
LESSON XVI. Adverbs. Page 31
LESSON XVII. Interjections. Page 33
LESSON XVIII. Adjectives. Page 36
LESSON XIX. Resemblance. Page 46
LESSON XX. Difference. Page 47
LESSON XXI. Nouns. Page 50
LESSON XXII. Gender. Page 56
LESSON XXIII. Number. Page 59
LESSON XXIV. Verbs. Page 51
LESSON XXV. Conjugational Equivalents of Phah, to strike. Page 67
LESSON XXVI. Examples in the Active Voice. Page 72
LESSON XXVII. Various Passive Forms. Page 73
LESSON XXVIII. Mood Equivalents. Page 75
LESSON XXIX. Tense Equivalents. Page 82
LESSON XXX. Some Usages of Syntax. Page 88
LESSON XXXI. Growth of Sentences. Page 91
LESSON XXXII. Bits of Description. Page 98
LESSON XXXIII. Abbreviations. Page 102
LESSON XXXIV. Slang. Page 104
LESSON XXXV. Various Questions. Page 107
LESSON XXXVI. Words used in Teaching and Arguing. Page 111
List of syllables representing the sounds used in pronouncing the Tie Chiu dialect. Page 125

This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

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