- 落大雨個辰光去者 loh dú‘ ’ü kú‘ zun kwong k’í‘ ’tsé, while it was raining heavily he went.
- 照之我個想頭要換朝代者 tsau‘ tsz ’ngú kú‘ ’siáng deu, yau‘ wén‘ dzau dé‘ ’tsé, according to my idea, the dynasty needs to be changed. (or, will be, &c.,).
- 照之古聖王個話頭一心一德 tsau‘ tsz ’kú sung‘ wong kú‘ wó‘ deu ih sing ih tuh, according to the words of the ancient king, “one in heart and one in virtue.”
- 讀之七年書咾考之秀才 tók tsz t’sih níen sû lau ’kau tsz sieu‘ zé, having studied seven years, he took his degree of Bachelor.
- 囂之書開來咾讀之兩張者 h’iau tsz sû k’é lé lau tók tsz ’liáng tsáng ’tsé, having opened the book, he read two sections.
- 得勝之多囘咾末脚死拉戰塲上 tuh sung‘ tsz tá wé lau meh kiáh ’sí ’lá tsén‘ dzáng long‘, after gaining many victories, he died at last on the field of battle.
Obs. i. Sometimes the verb of the subordinate clause is when preceded by the negative particle, put at the end; e.g. 兵丁勿算武官死有五十干 ping ting veh sön‘, ’vú kwén ’sí ’yeu ng seh kûn, without counting the common soldiers, fifty military mandarins died.
Obs. ii. Circumstantial subordinate propositions often come between the subject and predicate, 貪官已經受之姓張箇銀子就拿姓李箇放拉監牢裏 t’én kwén ’í kiung ’zeu tsz sing‘ Tsáng kú‘ niung ’tsz dzieu‘ nó sing‘ ’Lí kú‘ fong‘ ’lá kan lau ’lí, the avaricious mandarin having received money from Mr. Cháng, will take Mr. Li and put him in prison; 好人做之將官總勿瞎殺一個人 ’hau niun tsú‘ tsz tsiáng‘ kwén ’tsóng veh hah sah ih kú‘ niun, the good man on becoming a general, will not kill a single man without reason.
405. Many subordinate clauses are causal, and are connected with the principal sentence by the particle 咾 lau, or they are inserted in the principal clause with 因爲 yung wé‘ to introduce them.
- 做事體勿勸謹咾勿成功者 tsú‘ zz‘ ’t’í veh giun ’kiun lau veh zung kóng ’tsé, not being diligent in performing his duty, he did not succeed.
- 家當敗完之咾做之窮人者 ká tong‘ bá‘ wén tsz lau tsú‘ tsz giong niun ’tsé, he wasted all his property and became poor.
- 打傷之人咾帶之枷者 ’táng song tsz niun lau tá‘ tsz ká ’tsé, for beating and wounding a man, he was condemned to wear the cangue.
- 衣裳摜拉石頭上碎完者 í zong gwán‘ ’lá záh deu long sé‘ wén ’tsé, the clothes from being beaten on stones are torn to pieces.
- 總督嘸奈何咾服毒者 tsóng‘ tóh m ’né ú lau vóg dók ’tsé, the viceroy having no alternative, poisoned himself.
- 上司參之伊咾革脱之官者, ’zong sz t’sén tsz í lau kák t’eh tsz kwén ’tsé, his superior having reported him as culpable, he was discharged.
- 勿要因為事體多咾勿盡心 veh yau‘ yung wé‘ zz‘ ’t’í tú lau‘ veh zing‘ sing, do not on the ground of having so much to do, pay no attention.
Obs. Conjunctions may be prefixed to the introductory clause. 因爲三 代前頭題過第個名字勿可再題 yung wé‘ san dé‘ zíen deu tí kú‘ tí‘ kú‘ ming zz‘ veh ’k’ó tsé‘ dí, because three generations ago this name was used, it could not be employed again.
406. Conditional introductory clauses are formed by means of particles, or they are understood to be conditional from their position, or from the nature of the sentence.
a. Examples of conditional clauses without particles.
- 勿敎訓個兒子伊總要入下流 veh kiau‘ h’iün‘ kú‘ ní ’tsz í ’tsóng yau‘ zeh ’au lieu, if you do not teach your son, he will certainly fall to the lowest grade of character.
- 勿呑金原要受皇帝個埋怨咾殺脱 veh tung kiun niön yau‘ ’zeu wong tí‘ kú‘ má yön‘ lau sah t’eh, if he does not take gold and commit suicide, he must suffer the emperor’s displeasure and be put to death.
b. Examples with 末 meh, at the end of the conditional clause.