Obs. iv. The substantive governed is place between 起 ’k’í and 來 lé; e.g. 動起手來 ’tóng ’k’í ’seu lé, to move ones hand. The same thing occurs with some of the other groups. 挬輔身體來 peh ’tsén sun ’t’í lé, turn one’s body round: 担出洋錢來 tan t’seh yáng díen lé, bring out dollars.
225. Collective and separating verbs are formed by 攏 ’lóng, collect, and 開 k’é, open.
- 聚攏來 dzü ’lóng lé, collect together.
- 幷攏來 ’ping ’lóng lé, add together.
- 散開來 san k’é lé, scatter.
- 拆開來 t’sáh k’é lé, undo.
- 分開來 fun k’é lé, divide.
- 解開來 ’ká k’é lé, untie.
226. Reflexive action is expressed by placing 自 zz‘ before and after the verb.
- 自嚇自 zz‘ háh zz‘, frighten one’s-self.
- 自騙自 zz‘ p’ien‘ zz‘, deceive one’s-self.
Obs. In examples of this sort, the constituent words are pronounced closely together and might be written with hyphens. They correspond in their sense, to the Hithpahel conjugation of Hebrew verbs, and the middle voice of Greek and Sanscrit. In a monosyllabic agglutinating language, no nearer approach, could well be made to an equivalent of those forms, than is exhibited in such groups as these.
Groups. Affirmative and negative. 227. The groups formed by help of the affirmative and negative particles are very numerous, so much so, that they constitute of themselves a feature of the language. The Chinese colloquial idiom is very much indebted to them, for the force and precision which it is acknowledged to possess.
In these groups 得 tuh and 勿 veh (不 púh m.), take the centre, and certain auxiliary words, with some adjectives and verbs stand last. The sense of the principal verb is thus limited and modified in various ways. 得 tuh and 勿 veh being opposite in sense, the modifications they produce in the sense of the verb must be opposed also. They may be reduced to the following pairs of terms.
1st. It is predicted of the agent, that he is able or knows how to effect the action of the verb and the contrary; e.g. 做得來 tsú‘ tuh lé, able to do or make; 做勿来 tsú‘ veh lé, unable to do or make.
2nd. It is predicated of the agent, that circumstances allow him to effect the action and the contrary. Thus, 當得起 tong tuh ’k’í, in circumstances to bear; 讀勿起 tóh veh ’k’í, cannot afford to learn to read; 拖勿起 t’ú veh ’k’í, not strength to drag.