Obs. ii. The words 當, 爲, and 作 are used in fixed phrases, from which they cannot be disengaged. 自家作主 zz‘ ká tsok ’tsû, be your own master; 改惡爲善 ’ké oh wé ’zén, repent and be virtuous; 强盜作反 kiáng dau‘ tsok ’fan, the robbers are rebelling; 當兵 tong ping, to be a soldier.
Obs. iii. 做 is also used as a transitive verb make or do, which is its primary meaning.
Obs. iv. 有 to have when no object follows affirms existence and is to be translated by the impersonal substantive verb in English; e.g. 魚有否 ng ’yeu ’vá, are there any fish? 豈有此理 ’k’í ’yeu ’t’sz ’lí, how can this be? (It snows now, is 落雪者 lok sih ’tsé.) Its negative is 嘸 m or 嘸沒 m meh.
[ [1] The substantive verb either simply affirms 是 ’zz or it affirms action 做 tsú‘ or it affirms existence in place 在 ’zé, 勒拉 leh ’lá, or it affirms existence 有 ’yeu.
235. Transitive verbs take the object after them, while the nominative precedes.
- 官府刻薄百姓 kwén ’fú k’uh bóh pák sing‘, the mandarins exact from the people.
- 兵搶物事 ping ’t’siáng meh zz‘, the soldiers commit robberies.
236. When there are two objects as in verbs of giving, the nearer comes next to the verb, and the more remote stands last, usually with 拉 ’lá.
- 送禮物拉儂 sóng‘ ’lí veh ’lá nóng‘, present you with gifts.
- 撥飯拉儂吃 peh van‘ ’lá nóng‘ k’iuh, give you rice.
Obs. This is the same as Remusat’s rule, “Dans les verbes à double rapport’ le complément direct se place après le verbe, et est suivi du complément indirect” 天子能薦人於天 t’íen ’tsz nung tsíen‘ zun ü t’íen, the emperor can propose a person to Heaven; the order is not however confined to this one form; e.g. 送拉儂個物事 sóng‘ ’lá nóng‘ kú‘ meh zz‘, I bring you a present, is the same as, sóng‘ meh zz‘ ’lá nóng‘; 送儂兩個物事 sóng‘ nóng‘ ’liáng kú‘ meh zz‘ I bring you a few things, is just as proper as sóng‘ ’liáng kú‘ meh zz‘ ’lá nóng.
237. The object is made to precede the transitive verb, by the use of the auxiliary 担 tan, which is also the sign of the instrument.