Obs. iii. Wherever the potential force is wanting, 來 lé is used convertibly with 得 tuh; i.e. 寫來快 ’siá lé k’wá‘, he writes fast. Of the two 得 is most used by the educated.
390. The subject and predicate are still further lengthened by expletives. 末 meh belongs to the former, and 個, 拉, 哩, 者 kú‘, ’lá, ’lí, ’tsé to the latter.
Obs. Educated natives used these words much less frequently than the common people, except when they modify the verb in time, or as in the case of 末, give a conditional sense. The predicate if an adjective has time given to it by these particles, just as if it were a verb.
Section 7. Subordinate Sentences.
391. Sentences illustrative of verbs of knowing, saying and wishing, etc. taking the initiatory particle that in English, usually follow the proposition or verb they explain.
- 不過聽見儂欵待讀書人 pih kú‘ t’ing kíen‘ nóng‘ k’wén dé‘ tók sû niun, I have merely heard that you treat with generosity literary men.
- 伊話勿能來 í wó‘ veh nung lé, he said he could not come.
- 我曉得伊難過日脚 ’ngú‘ ’h’iau tuh í nan ku‘ nyih kiáh, I know that he lived on with difficulty.
- 我勿相信第隻船將要翻脫 ’ngú veh siáng sing‘ tí‘ tsáh zén tsiáng yau‘ ’fan t’eh, I do not believe this boat is going to overturn.
Obs. i. The clause introduced with that is often placed first. 官府嘸没銀子是人人曉得個 kwén ’fú m meh niung ’tsz ’zz niun niun ’h’iau tuh kú‘, that the mandarins have no money is known by every one; 要進城話拉 yau‘ tsing‘ zung wó‘ ’lá, he said that he wished to go into the city. The educated usually place the verb 話 wó‘ first.
Obs. ii. In Latin the construction of the explanatory clause, is that of the accusative and infinitive.
392. Clauses expressing the object of an act, usually follow the sentence that contain the act.
- 領伊到學堂讀書 ’ling í tau‘ hoh dong tóh sû, take him to school, that he may learn to read.
- 請和尙拜懺 ’t’sing ú zong‘ pá‘ tsan, invite Buddhist priests to perform a service.
- 呌畵工來畵小照 kiau‘ wó‘ kong lé wó‘ ’siau tsau‘, call a painter to draw a likeness.
- 講鄕約勸士農工商做本分꜄ ’kong h’iáng yah k’iön‘ ’zz nóng‘ kóng song tsú‘ ’pun vun‘, read the sacred edict (country regulations), to induce the reading, agricultural, artisan, mid mercantile classes to perform their duties.