Obs. Some verbs are found among substantives and adjectives too. 孝 h’iau‘ is a substantive in 百善孝爲先 puh ’zén h’iau‘ wé‘ síen, of all the virtues, filial piety is the chief; an adjective in 孝子 h’iau‘ ’tsz, a filial son, and a verb in 孝順父母 h’iau‘ zun‘ ’vú ’mú, to reverence parents. In the books such variations of grammatical character in the same words are very numerous. In the verse 庶民子來 sû ming ’tsz lé, all the people came as if they were his sons, 子 ’tsz is used adverbially.
Verb as Adjective. 343. The passive gerund of Latin is related to adjectives as the active gerund is to substantives. The corresponding forms in our dialect are compounds which may be translated either as adjectives or passive gerunds.
- 可惡 ’k’ó ú‘, to be hated, or hateful.
- 可殺 ’k’ó sah, ought to be killed.
- 好笑 ’hau siau‘, laughable, fit to be laughed at.
- 好種个 ’hau tsóng‘ kú‘, capable of cultivation.
Obs. The examples given In [Art. 246], as in the permissive mood, might also be explained as verbs construed as adjectives.
344. Many of the longer verb groups are translated most conveniently as verbal adjectives.
- 耐勿過 né‘ veh kú‘, unbearable.
- 話勿來 wó‘ veh lé, unutterable.
- 數勿明白 sú‘ veh ming báh, incalculable.
Obs. i. For a classification of these phrases v. [Art. 227].
Obs. ii. Adjectives coming after verbs, with 得 tuh and 來 lé are best translated as adverbs; 做來勿好 tsú‘ lé veh ’hau, it is done badly； 寫來通極 ’siá lé t’ong giuh, it is written exactly to the purpose; 燕子飛起來頂快 ’íen ’tsz fí ’k’í lé ’ting k’wá‘, the swallow flies very swiftly; 幅子戴得齊整 mau‘ ’tsz tá‘ tuh zí tsung‘, he wears his hat properly.
345. Many verbs are used as prepositions. They are 從 zóng, 由 yeu, 到 tau‘, 連 líen, 朝 zau, 望 mong‘, 對 té‘, 上 ’zong, 下 ’hau. Examples of both uses are given.
- 由儂末哉 yeu nóng‘ meh tsé‘, it will be as you decide.
- 由那裏一條路 yeu ’á ’lí ih diau lú‘, by which way?
- 字眼要連下來 zz‘ ’ngan yau‘ líen ’au lé, words and expressions should be connected.
- 紙頭連筆全勿有 ’tsz deu líen pih dzén veh ’yeu, paper and pencil are both wanting.