# Primary Lessons in Swatow Grammar/Lesson XXXII

After acquiring a number of simple sentences, sufficient for his immediate use, the learner can do no better than give attention to bits of colloquial description as given by natives, A few specimens are here subjoined. Though brief, they will serve to show how the Chinese proceed from one thought to another in common place things of every day life. They are not made up, but are fragments of actual descriptions taken down from native lips exactly as they were spoken. Too much cannot be said in favor of this method of learning Chinese, for it enables one to follow a Chinaman in his thoughts, and furnishes the learner with the nouns and verbs appropriate to the topic in hand. Colloquial portions of the Scripture narrative which already exist in the missions at Swatow, both in Chinese character and Romanized, furnish a large supply. In addition to those, the pupil would do well to gather abundant stores of his own about common place topics from common people. The descriptions thus heard may not always be cultured in style, and would receive some trimming at the hands of a scholarly graduate, which should be taken into account. But they will be clear and intelligible colloquial as used and understood by the million.
In the sentences that follow, notice, for example, the peculiar and frequent use of “chí-kâi”, this one, or this, or as here used, the. It brings the noun to which it is attached, into a little more prominence than it would otherwise have.
Cooking Rice,—Soiⁿ phah-sǹg jie̍h-chōi-nâng ēng-chia̍h jie̍h-chōi-bí, first consider how many men will need to eat how much rice, — jiên-ãu, khṳ̀-chhah-bí, then go and take up some rice; — ēng-kâi-tháng, ho̍k-ēng kâi-uáⁿ, use a measure(full) or use a bowl (full), — chiè-i sî-siêⁿ só-chia̍h, jie̍h-chōi, according to what they usually eat, (just) so much. — Bí—lo̍h-chí kâi-tháng, the rice, put it down in the bucket,—ho̍k-puah, or—earthenware vessel;— ēng-chúi, lâi-sói, use water, come and wash it;—lo̍h-khṳ̀ kiè-chò-chúi, that which is put down in, is called water.Sói-ãu, thîn--chhut-lâi-kâi, kiè-chò-phun, after it is washed, that which is poured out is called “phun” (rinsings);—ié chheng-khih kâi-chúi lâi-chò-ám, dip clean water in order to make “ám” (congee).
​Khí-ki-húe tõ huang-lôu, build a fire in the furnace,—ho̍k tõ chàu, or in the fireplace;—soiⁿ-ēng làn-ló chhâ-phùe-thiu, first use a few shavings,—ho̍k-chúa ùn lân-iû, or paper dipped in a little oil,—ho̍k-ēng chṳ̃-lâi-húe, or use matches,—ho̍k-ēng chúa-bûe, or use a (burnt) paper end;—pàng chí-ki-húe tõ chhâ-phùe-thiu, i chiũ-to̍h, put the fire near to the shavings, and then they will ignite;—to̍h ãu chiũ khie̍h-chhâ, after it is lighted, collect (some) wood around it,—ho̍k lo̍h-thòaⁿ, or charcoal;—lo̍h-thòuⁿ màiⁿ-khah-chōi, in putting on charcoal, do not have too much,—khah-chōi chiũ khṳt i ip-tiāu, if you have too much it will be smothered by it;—ēng chí-kâi-sìⁿ lâi-iãⁿ, use a fun to blow it,—sái i chhûan-to̍h, and make it wholly ignite.
Jiên-ãu phõ pn̄g-ue, then, bring in your two hands the rice pot,—lo̍h-khṳ̀-pû, put it on to boil;—pû-kàu i-se̍k, and boil until it is done,—ho̍k-sĩ chò-mûeⁿ, or is made into congee.Phõ--khí lâi pàng--kò; take it up and put it there (on the table);—tán i iáu-chhìn, wait till it is some what cool,—chò-nî khṳt-i thǹg--tie̍h—khah-sie, what is the use of being scalded by it—(if) too hot?—En̄g mûeⁿ-ti̍h lâi-thiⁿ, use a rice ladle to dip it out,—pàng i ka-kī kâi-úaⁿ, and put it in his own rice bowl.
Ho̍k-sĩ chò-pn̄g, if it is to be “pn̄g” (grained rice)—ēng kâi-kám, use a cover,—lâi-tè chhut-ám, to drain off the liquid part,—pàng--kò khṳt i iáu-chhìn, put it there to let it cool.
House Building.—Thâu-soiⁿ liú-tī-kha, first you dig a foundation,—jiên-ãu chiũ cheng tī-kha, then pound the foundation,—kàu cheng tī-kha hó--liáu, when you have pounded the foundation all right;—ho̍k ũ-nâng, li-i-i, i thūn-kûiⁿ phou-pêⁿ, perhaps there will be some men, ah,—they will fill it up and level it off;—liáu chiũ khiã sì-kak kâi-sāi, this done, stand upright the four corner boards,—liáu chiũ hẽ pui-pang, this being done you will then place in position the pounding boards; — hó — chiũ cheng-chhiêⁿ; cheng-chhiêⁿ hó--liáu, when all right then pound the wall; when the wall is pounded,—chiũ pâi-êⁿ tèng-kak, then place the rafters and nail on the slats,—pâi-êⁿ tèng-kak hó--liáu, when the rafters are nailed and the slats are laid,—thôu-kang kâi sai-pẽ chiũ-liâm chhù-téng, the mason will lay on in plaster the tiles;—liám-hó--liáu, the tile laying being completed,chiũ ba̍k-kang kâi sai-pẽ lâi-chiâⁿ theng-mn̂g, then the carpenter will come and fit the windows and doors,—liáu chiũ lãi-pôiⁿ kuah-hue, then will plaster
​the inside;—ho̍k-ũ lâu-téng chiũ-tèng lâu-pang, if there is an upper story then nail on the floor boards;—bô-lâu-téng, ãu, li, if no upstairs, afterwards, ah,—phah-hue-tiâⁿ, ho̍k-phou-chng, pound a chunam floor, or lay down tiles,—lâu-pang tèng--hó--liáu, when the floor is nailed down,—chiũ-tèng buān-thien, then nail on the ceiling,—ãu sueh-hue-chúi, after that wash it with lime water;—àiⁿ-sueh hún-chiáu-sek, some wash it dove color,—ũ-nâng sueh-pe̍h, some wash it white,—ũ-nâng sueh-lâm, some wash it blue;—mn̂g kah-theng àiⁿ-iû, the doors and windows you will paint,—lṳ́ àiⁿ-le̍k a-hó, if you want green, very well,—àiⁿ-pe̍h a-hó, if you want white, very well,—sĩ-tõ-lṳ́ ka-kī siẽⁿ-àiⁿ, it is as you yourself think you like it.
Making Sugar.—Soiⁿ tah-thn̂g-liâu, first put up a sugar house,—ãu khiã-chià-ká, then set up the cane crushers;—khiã hó--liáu, when all done,—chiũ-lâi ká-chià, then come and grind the cane;—chià kâi-chap chiũ-chṳ́ chò-thn̂g, the juice of the cane you will then boil to make sugar;—liáu chiũ ié-lo̍h thn̂g-lāu, this done, you then dip it into the sugar pots;—liáu chiũ lâi huang-thôu, then you spread clay over it,—huang ũ-ngõu-ji̍t, ho̍k-ũ cha̍p-ji̍t, when it has been covered five days, or perhaps ten days,—thn̂g-chúi chiũ kiâⁿ-chheng-chhó, the molasses will have run off completely ;—ãu khap-chhut--lâi pha̍k, afterwards pour it out and dry it in the sun;—pha̍k-liáu chiũ lâi-khà-chhùi, after it has been dried you then proceed to pound it fine;—khà-chhùi-liáu chiũ chuan-lo̍h chhie̍h-pau, you then enclose it in a straw bag,—chài-lâi Sùaⁿ-thâu bōi, and carry it by boat to Swatow to sell.
Ploughing.—̵Lôi-chhân kâi-nâng soiⁿ phah-sǹg, the ploughman first decides (what he is going to do);—tõ-i ka-kī kâi-koiⁿ-thâu chiũ-khiâ chí-kâi-lôi, on his own shoulders he takes the plough,—khṳ́-gû-liâu khan che̍k-chiah-gû, he goes to the cow house and leads off an ox,—gû-chú kâi-nâng kàu-chí kâi-chhân, the ox owner on arriving at the field,—lôi chiũ hiah-lo̍h-chhân, puts the plough down in the field;—soiⁿ chiang chí-kâi gû-taⁿ-uân kùa-tõ-gû kâi-koiⁿ-thâu, he first takes the yoke and puts it on the shoulders of the ox,—kùa-hó liáu chiũ-lâi-sái, when it is on then
​he goes to work (lit. use);—sái-hiah pàng-gû khṳ̀ chia̍h-chháu, when you stop work, you unloose the ox to go and eat grass &c.
A Chinaman’s Toilet.—Mn̂g-khí cháu khí-lâi, i chiũ khí-to̍h-lôu, in the morning when he gets up he builds a fire,—lâi pû-chúi, pû-kàu chúi-sie, comes and heats some water, when it is heated,—tò-lo̍h mīn-phûn, pours it out into the wash-bowl,—khie̍h kò mīn-pòu lo̍h-khṳ̀ ùn-tâm, takes a towel and dipping it in, wets it,—chiũ tēⁿ-ta, then wrings it dry,—khie̍h lâi-sói-mīn, takes it and washes his face;—sói-hó chúi chiũ tò-tiāu, when it is done pours out the water,—mīn-phûn chiũ póiⁿ-lìn-tńg khṳt i lā-ta, and the basin he turns upside down to let it dry,—mīn-pòu phua̍h khṳt-i lā-ta, and the towel he spreads out and lets it dry,—liáu chiũ chheng-chhó, and all is complete.