Adele Marion Fielde,
First Lessons in the Swatow Dialect
(1878)
“ Words in the entering tones always end in the sound of h, k, p, or t. In speaking, the tone of a word is greatly modified by its relation to other words in the sentence, and all are obscure except that of the most emphatic word, which has its tone fully enunciated. ”
Adele Marion Fielde,
First Lessons in the Swatow Dialect
(1878)
“ Exercise the ear more than the eye in learning the language. A. M. F. Swatow, 1877. TONES. Every Chinese word has a tone, inseparable from its pronunciation. In the Tie Ciu dialect there are eight tones, which can be acquired only from a living teacher. Many Chinese teachers know no names for the tones; and different teachers place them in different orders. The following order is perhaps most usual. Chinese Name. Tonal Marks. 上平 cīen phên, upper even. ꜀▢ _ 上上 cīen sĭang, upper high. ꜂▢ _́ 上去 cīen khù, upper going. ▢꜅ _̀ 上入 cīen jîp, upper entering. ”
Adele Marion Fielde,
First Lessons in the Swatow Dialect
(1878)
“ The whole night. 8 lʉ́ kâi cáu kían kè tī kɵ̀? 8 Where is your daughter married? 9 lʉ́ kâi tau kían chūa tī kɵ̀? 9 From where did your son take his wife? 10 siet sái lʉ́ ŏi kiam i kâi sʉ̄, cĭu khʉt lʉ́ cɵ̀. 10 Supposing that you can take his business in addition, I will let you. 11 sío jîn nâng siet lîp tɵ sĭ m̄ hɵ́ sʉ̄. pĕng kiam. 11 What ignorant people establish is much of it bad. Furthermore. 12 pĕng bɵ̂ phìan n̂gn cɵ̀ lêng chūa bó? 12 Without betrothal money how can one take a wife? 13 lîp sim àin kè. 13 Made up her mind to marry. ”
