J. C. G.

“ You don’t understand goods (i. e., know good from bad) . He wants too much money. Tradesmen (or merchants) are not just. They all try to cheat people. There is another proverb which says:— Traders are three-parts (in ten) thieves. Don’t you get in a rage, I have a proverb which says:— If you keep your temper, you will get rich, Ah! you've no principle!
Chí-kâi jie̍h-tsōi chîn? Chí kâi mue̍h bōi sĩ-mih-kè? Khah-kùi. Uá m̃-bói. Ũ phin--kâi a-bô? Chí-kâi kèng-phin. Ũ che̍k-kù so̍k-gṳ́ tàn;— Pân-gî bô hó-hùe, Hó-hùe bô pân-gî. ”

“ Carstairs Douglas’ ”Dictionary of the Amoy Vernacular,” in the hope of inducing beginners to accustom themselves from the first to make use of its stores of information. It will be found that over six-tenths of the words of the Swatow dialect remain unaltered in spelling and tone-mark as written in the Amoy Dictionary; while many of the remainder are easily recognised under more or less altered forms. It is to be understood, therefore, that a reference to a certain page of Dr. Douglas’ Dictionary does not necessarily imply that the word will be found there unchanged. ”

“ Wait till I get back to the hospital, and I will send a man with some for you. This man has fever. I have fever and ague. Is your throat dry? It is, constantly so. Don’t drink too much water. Take a little chicken broth. When the fever has gone it won’t be dry. Does he cough? At times he does, at times he doesn’t, Does he drink? I fancy he smokes opium. He may do so, (I can’t say) . He is a strong man. ”

“ What business does he do? I am a merchant. Where is your hong? What is it called? (its style) . How long have you been in business? Call the comprador Have you made up your accounts? I have not made them up clearly yet. Every month you ought to make them up once. This account is wrong. It must be done over again, Have these dollars been shroffed? Call the shroff to shroff them. If there are any bad ones, go and change them, When weighed how heavy are they? Ten of them are a little light. Call the accountant. Where is the tea-taster? He is tasting tea. ”

“ Are there any people in the street? I want to go out in the afternoon. Tell the coolies to come and carry the chair. Are there any horses here? I fancy (lit. reckon) they are not very good. I don’t dare go out in the day time, It’s too hot. ”

“ The eldest is a girl Is she married? How many brothers have you? One elder brother, one younger. Have you any sister? I have one elder sister and one younger. Are you married? I am engaged, but not married yet When are you going to be married? ”

“ Do priests live here? There are no priests at a temple. He is a Missionary. Have you become a convert? I have not. Is there a chapel here? There are two. Are they Protestant or Catholic? One is Protestant. ”

“ Call some one. I want a bath. There is no water. Have you had dinner yet? Is there any beef? There is no beef. There is mutton. Bring some bread. Bring some hot water. I don’t want wine. Call the cook. ”

“ They are all Frenchmen. Have they families? They have no families. They are not allowed to marry. They wear Chinese clothes. They eat Chinese food. What is the intention of this? They want to be like Chinamen. ”

“ I am a Chinaman. He is an Englishman. You are not a native of the place. He is a man from Swatow. There are plenty of Chinamen at Singapore. Do you like this place? (lit. is it good?) Do you like being here? ”

“ It’s rather hot today. It’s not very hot. It was very hot yesterday. Today is hotter than yesterday. Next month will be cold. Tomorrow is the end of the month. It was very cold last night. It’s sure to be cold at night. ”

“ Steamers don’t use sails. How much coal do you use per diem? This is according to the speed of the ship. If she goes fast, a great deal is used; If she goes slow, then a smaller quantity. Where is the chief officer? ”

“ He needn’t come back. He can’t come. Get another man. He doesn’t wish to come. Come with me. How many men are there? More than ten. Altogether there are sixty men. Are there any children? This is a boy. ”

“ Has he struck anybody? He has; he’s a dangerous man. He has been doing something wrong. He ought to be punished. Take him to prison for a fortnight. Afterwards give him twenty blows. When he has been beaten, let him go. ”

“ The thread is too short; it’s not enough. This is a very large house. The road is too narrow for walking. This chair is strong. This table is rather weak. He (his body) is very strong. I am weaker than he. ”

“ Lṳ́ tî-sî-lâi? Khie̍h pit-ba̍k--lâi. Lâu-téng ũ în-pit. Lâu-ẽ ũ-nâng-tõ a-bô? Chí-kâi tshù ũ chhit-koin pâng. Ũ hue-hn̂g a-bô? Ũ sòi-kâi. Lṳ́ kâi thâu-ke tõ-tî-kò? I tshut-khṳ̀-kháu kîn-kiân--chē. Tiâng-sî àin-tńg--lâi? I bô-tàn. Thâu-ke-niên ũ-tõ a-bô? Kāng thâu-ke tsò-pû tshut--khṳ̀. Thâu-ke lâi lṳ́ kāng-i-tàn, Uá tán mùa-khí--lâi. ”

“ Káu-chîn. Káu-kâi chîn. Che̍k-nién chhit-chîn la̍k-hun. Hīn-tsãi che̍k-kâi-ngṳ̂n táu jie̍h-tsōi chîn? Táu che̍k-tshoin lân poih-tsa̍p-chîn. Lṳ́ che̍k-kâi-gue̍h àin-jie̍h-tsōi kang-chîn? Che̍k-kâi-gue̍h àin sì-kâi-ngṳ̂n. Khah-tsōi. Chia̍h ka-kī bõi--tsōi. Tiān-tie̍h chia̍h ka-kī. Kiám tsò-m̄-tit. Tshông-tsôin lṳ́ pat tsò chí-kâi-kang a m̄-pat? Pat lân-ló. Chí-kâi-chîn lṳ́ m̄-eng-kai sái. ”

“ To come lâi He has come i lâi--liáu He came yesterday i tsa-jít--lâi Has he come? i ũ lâi--bô? He isn’t coming i m̄-lâi He doesn't want to come i m̃--lâi He can't come i bõi-tit-lâi, or, i m̄-ôin lâi. Why hasn't he come yet? i tsò-nî būe-lâi? Is he coming? i àin-lâi--mé? You needn't come lṳ́ mín-ēng lâi. Don't you come! lṳ́ màin-lâi! ”