90. Examples of words used in combinations in the dialect, but not singly.

91. These examples, which might if it were necessary, be extended to a much greater length, will be sufficient to exhibit how the most ancient forms of speech, the primitive words of the Chinese race, have maintained their position to the present time. In a similar way, the later classics contemporary with Hebrew literature, and the most flourishing part of the Greek, might be shewn to possess in a still greater abundance, the materials from which this and other dialects have grown into their existing form. But there are also many new words; the passage of time must witness changes, even in the language of a people so devoted to antiquity as that of China. It has been shewn that there has been variation in tones, by referring to the pronouncing Dictionaries made long since. The natives recognize great differences In modern and ancient sounds, as seen in the rhymes of the Book of Odes. Words also have changed; many expressions once common have become antiquated, and new ones have appeared. A reference ta colloquial mandarin will illustrate this statement, and bring before us another large portion of the materials of the dialect.

Relation to colloquial Mandarin. 92. The earliest examples of this form of Chinese, are found in works of the Sung dynasty and in the historical novels. Mencius so remarkable among the classic authors, for his picturesque imagery and the animation of his style, sometimes uses combinations, such as 朋友 páng yeu‘, friend; 自己 zz‘ ’kí, self; seldom found in ancient books, and which may be considered as conversational.

93. The following are examples selected from the San kwoh chi 三國志, and Lieh kwoh chi 烈國志, works now five hundred years old, of new words not found in the classics, and all in common use in our dialect.

樹 zû‘, tree.會 wé‘, am able to.
脚 kiáh, roof.吃 k’iuh, eat.
船 zén boat.呌 kiau‘, call a person.
撇 p’ih, stroke to the left.攏 ’lóng, bring together.
埃 á, take in order.惹 ’zá, provoke.
敲 k’au, knock.揪 t’sieu, restrain by holding.
撑 t’sáng, pole a boat.瞧 dziau, to look.
抄 t’sau, to copy.抖 ’teu, shiver.
喝 höh, call to.拖 t’ú, to pull.
爬 pó, to scratch.勦 tsiau‘, destroy

94. Of the following new pronouns, and interrogative adverbs first found in the historical novels, there is scarcely any use made in the Shánghái dialect.

甚麽 m. shen‘ ’mó? what?那裡 m. ’ná ’li? where?
什麽 shih ’mó? what?這箇 ché‘ kó‘, this.
怎麽 ’tsun ’mó? how?他 t’á, he.

Obs. The Shánghái pronouns are all different from those, except the mutilated form 那裡 ’a ’lí? where? So for the most part those of Fúh-kien; which again differ entirely from those of the Canton dialect as contained in Bridgman’s Chrestomathy. Some pronouns are widely spread. Thus, ngó 我 I, exists in all these dialects. As a class however, they are among the words most liable to variation in colloquial Chinese.