The latter may be viewed as accidental to the former, or if preferred, the second word may called genus, while the first is considered as limiting it to a particular species.
Obs. ii. In conformity with the principle, that the word in which the substance of the noun inheres should stand first, the auxiliary appendages 頭 deu, 子 ’tsz, 處 t’sû‘, 法 fah follow their words; e.g. 飯嘸尋處 van‘ m zing t’sû‘, there is no way of getting a living; 寫法總有個 ’siá fah ’tsóng ’yeu kú‘, there must be some mode of writing it.
Obs. iii. The auxiliary substantives and numeral particles appropriated to particular nouns, when they follow their words without a numeral, exemplify the same law; e.g. 白話裏向勿要加出多許書句 páh wó‘ ’lí h’iáng‘ veh yau‘ ká t’seh tú hau‘ sû kü‘, do not mingle so many book sentences in what you say.
Obs. iv. In double substantives formed partly with a verb, the verb as giving the species stands first; e.g. 算盤 sön‘ bén, counting board; 印板 yun‘ ’pan, printing blocks; 話柄 wó ping‘, a bon mot (See [Art. 113].).
Obs. v. Many inseparable dissyllabic substantives, in which the distinction of matter and form is not obvious in their daily use, if viewed etymologically may be noticed to have the same order; e.g. 文章 vun tsáng, literary compositions; 地方 tí‘ fong, a place. The word giving the matter stands in each case first.
372. If the action be gradual in a compound verb, the word first in time is first in order. The word that concludes the action comes last.
- 担來銷化 tan lé siau hwó‘, to take and burn.
- 燈點完者 tung ’tíen wén ’tsé, the lamp is burnt out.
- 撥拉賊匪打輸 peh ’lá zuh fí‘ ’táng sû, he was defeated by the rebels.
Obs. i. Most of the auxiliary particles occurring in compound verbs follow the principal word; v. Art. [217], [222], but 打 ’táng, and such adverbs as help to form compound verbs precede the principal words; e.g. 打緝打緝看 ’táng t’sih ’táng t’sih k’ön‘, make inquiries.
Obs. ii. The auxiliary verbs of power, forming a potential mode, precede their verbs. 勿會白話 veh wé‘ báh wó‘, he cannot talk; 勿能去 veh nung k’í‘, he cannot go. In English, there are also auxiliaries of this kind preceding other verbs in apposition, without the sign of the infinitive intervening; e.g. may, can.
Variation in Order. 373. The components of some groups admit of more than one mode of arrangement. The following may be used in a direct or inverted order.