Obs. i. Like the Greek pas, all or each, 各 koh is also an adjective all; e.g. 各處 koh t’sû‘, all places.
Obs. ii. 每 mé, means always, in such phrases as 每要望望儂 ’mé yau‘ mong‘ mong‘ nóng‘, I wish constantly to come and see you; 每每 ’mé ’mé, always.
Reciprocal pronouns. 199. Phrases such as one another are expressed by 大家 tá‘ ká and 家家 ká ká, mutually; or by 相 siáng, together, in combination.
- 總要家家相帮 ’tsóng yau‘ ká ká siáng pong, you ought to help one another.
- 我忒儂相遇 ’ngú t’eh nóng‘ siáng nü‘, you and I meet.
- 大家吃茶 tá‘ ká k’iuh dzó, take tea together.
Indefinite pronouns. 200. The word some in some one, something, is expressed either by 某 ’meu, or by the verb 有 ’yeu, have. Anything is expressed by sá‘, usually with 有 ’yeu preceding; in the negative, 唔 m takes the place of ’yeu.
- 某處某人 ’meu t’sû ’meu niun, a certain man of certain place.
- 某書某人做個 ’meu sû ’meu niun tsú‘ kú‘, such a book written by such a person.
- 有人來話 ’yeu niun lé wó‘, some one came and said.
- 有是有個 ’yeu ’zz ’yeu kú‘, there is some.
- 唔啥事體 m sá‘ zz‘ ’t’í, it is nothing.
- 有啥信息否 ’yeu sá‘ sing‘ sih ’vá, is there any news.
201. Several is expressed by ’kí kú‘, 好幾個 hau‘ ’kí kú‘, 大 tá, and the borrowed form 多許 tú hau‘; 幾許 ’kí hó‘[1] ] is also used.
- 來之幾個人 lé tsz ’kí kú‘ niun, several men have some.
- 好幾囘數 hau‘ ’kí wé‘ sú‘, several times.
- 大日勿來 tá nyih veh lé, it is long since you come.
- 唔啥幾許 m sá ’kí hô‘, not many.
Obs. The Greek tis is either interrogative who? (Lat. quis?) or indifinite some one, (Lat. aliquis.) In the same way, 幾 ’kí is sometimes how many? and at other times several. In the latter sense however, 好 is usually prefixed. So also sá‘ means either what? or any thing.
[ [1] Compare use of 幾許 in the following verses 花枝出建章 “Flowers grow in the Kien-chang palace” 風管發昭陽 “The sound of pipes issues from the palace of Chau-yang,” 借問承恩者 “I beg to ask in regard to those who receive favour” 雙蛾幾許長 “How long are their eyebrows?” These words are put in the mouth of a secondary wife of the emperor Han wú-ti when jealous of imperial favour extended to some inferior court women. The last line means “are their eyebrows so much longer than mine?”.