- (1) In the Buddhist religion in China a Buddha or one of his manifestations is known as a ’veh, the bodhisattvas are known as Boo-sah.
- (2) A Chinese mile is about one-third of an English mile.
- (3) In the sixteenth sentence of the First Exercise notice the expression ’man °dzoong, “very heavy.” This is the way the Chinese speak of a serious illness. They also speak of a disease being light, chung, just as we do.
- (4) In the eighteenth sentence of the First Exercise ’veh da° means “not very,” This is a very frequent expression.
- (5) In the seventh sentence of the First Exercise, tshaung-°kheu laung° means “on the window sill.”
LESSON XIX
Asking Questions, Expecting Negative and Affirmative Answers
In addition to the interrogative forms already given there are ways of asking questions when a negative, or when an affirmative answer is expected.
Thus when the negative answer is expected, the clause begins with °chi (豈) and ends with nyi (呢). Thus °Chi °yeu sa° yoong°-deu nyi (豈有啥用頭呢). “Is it of any use?” It implies that it is not of any use and expects the negative answer. °Chi (豈) corresponds to the Latin num, and implies No, or a negative of the proposition conveyed.
When the affirmative answer is expected the clause begins with °chi ’veh (豈吥) and ends with the usual interrogative va° (否).
Thus °Chi ’veh iung-ke tsoo° va° (豈吥應該做否), “Ought you not to do it?” Implies that you ought to do it and expects the affirmative answer.
It will be seen that in this case also the °chi (豈) expects the negative of the proposition conveyed, that is, the negative of a negative proposition which is an affirmative. In other words the answer is, “That you ought not not to do it,” or “You ought to do it.”
VOCABULARY
- Every place or everywhere, kauh tshu° 各處, or kauh-tau°-lauh-tshu° 各到落處.
- Of course, z°-zen 自然.
- Afterwards, hereafter, °‘eu-°seu 後首, °‘eu-le 後來, or °i-°‘eu 以後.
- Until, dzuk-tau° 直到; wait until, °tung-tau° 等到.
- Daily, nyih nyih 日日, or nyih-dzok 日逐.
- About, iak-kwe 約親, or iak-tsak 約酌.
- About the same (not much difference), tsho-’veh-too 差吥多.
- Secretly, ‘en°-‘en°-°li 暗暗裏.
- True, tsung 眞.
- False, °ka 假.
- Secure, °‘wung-taung° 穩當.
- A long time, dzang-°yoen 長遠, dzang-°yoen-tse 長遠哉, or ta-z-tse 多時哉.