Lessons in the Shanghai Dialect :: LESSON XIV Causality, and Necessity

LESSON XIV Causality, and Necessity

The idea of causality, in the sense of causing a person to do a thing, is expressed in Chinese by the use of the auxiliary verbs kau (?) and tsha (?). Thus “I caused him to do it,” would be °ngoo kao yi tsoo° (????). “I caused him to go,” would be °ngoo tsha yi chi (????). The word tsha literally means “to send.” The word kau is the same as kyau°, but used with different pronunciation and different tone. When one of higher rank causes a person of lower rank to do a thing the word s° (?) is used. Thus S° °ngoo ieu-mung, “Caused me to sorrow.”

“Must” is expressed by the expressions tsoong-iau° (??), pih-ding° iau° (???), ih-ding° iau° (???).

“It must be” is tsoong °z (??). Thus “It must be so” is tsoong-°z zeh-ke° (????).

“Ought” implying obligation, is expressed by iung-ke (??). Thus “You ought to do it” is noong° iung-ke tsoo° kuh (?????).

VOCABULARY

Perhaps, khoong-pho° ??.
Just now, a little while ago, khan khan ??, or ’veh too °kyi-z ????.
Quickly, ‘au-sau° ??, or kwha°-kwha° ??.
Moreover, °ping-°tshia ??, or r-°tshia ??, or hwaung-°tshia ??.
Although, soe-zen ??, or soe-°z ??.
Yet, zen-r ??.
Still (in the sense of in addition), wan ?, or wan-iau° ??. °ngoo wan-iau° °ma ????, “I still wish to buy more.”
On the contrary, or on the other hand, °tau ?.
To complete, dzung-koong ??.
To light (a lamp or candle), °tien ?.
To light (a fire), sang ?.
To take with you, ta° chi ??.
To bring with you, ta° le ??.
To kill, sah ?, or sah-theh ??.
To kill with a blow, °tang sah ??.
To die, °si ?, or °si-theh ??.
To live, weh ?.
A lamp, ih °tsan tung ???.
To tell, narrate, kau°-soo° ??.
To sweep the ground (floor), °sau-di° ??.

Foong (?) is the classifier used for letters and other sealed parcels.

A letter, ih foong sing° ???.
An envelope, ih foong sing° khauh ????, or ih foong sing° foong ????.
A candle, ih kung lah tsok ????.
Fire, °hoo ?.

Tsang (?) is the classifier denoting sheets.

A sheet of paper, ih tsang °ts or ih tsang °ts-deu ????.
A fowl, ih tsak kyi ???.

EXERCISES

(Translate into English)

(1) °Ngoo-nyi° iung-ke tsoo°-kuh z°-°thi, °tau ’veh tsoo°.
(2) Thien °lang-°ts meh pih-ding° iau° sang °hoo.
(3) Ya°-deu iau° dok su meh, tsoong-iau° °tien tung.
(4) °Ngoo ’veh °hyau-tuh na°-nung tsoo°-deu, °ngoo-kuh bang-°yeu °i-kyung °si-theh tse.
(5) Tan ih tsang °ts-deu le, °ngoo iau° °sia ih foong sing°.
(6) °Ngoo la° su-vaung °li zing °ngoo-kuh mau-°ts, soe-zen °tien-ts lah-tsok °‘a zing-’veh-dzak kuh.
(7) °Ngoo iau° ‘auh dok tsoong-kok z° °ping °tshia iau° ‘auh °sia tsoong-kok z°
(8) Soe-zen noong° wo° ’veh zung tan tsheh chi° zen-r °ngoo ’veh °khung siang-sing°.
(9) Kwha°-tien chi° kyau° i-sung le, °khoong pho° yi iau° °si tse.
(10) Sien-sang leh-la° va°? Yi khan-khan leh-°li, yien-dze ’veh °hyau-tuh °a-°li chi° tse.
(11) Zak-zen yi wan ’veh zung le,°ngoo °tung yi ’veh tuh.
(12) °Ngoo kyau° yoong°-nyung sah ih tsak kyi, la° chuh van° kuh zung-kwaung iau° chuh kuh.
(13) Di°-tsak de-°ts mok-ziang° tsoo° le wan °hau.
(14) °Ngoo ’man kha°-weh thing-tuh noong° wo° °ngoo °yeu ih foong sing° le, °khoong-pho° °z °ngoo-kuh bang-°yeu °sia le kuh.
(15) Nyung iau° sien tsoo° dzung-koong ih tsaung z°-°thi, nan-meh °khau-°i tsoo° bih yang°.
(16) M-meh ih kuh nyung hwen-°hyi °si.

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(Translate into Chinese)

(1) I told you a little while ago that I did not want you to open the window; why do you not listen to me?
(2) Light the lamp and put it on the table in the study.
(3) If a guest comes, I want you to light the fire in the reception room.
(4) Do not strike the dog; perhaps you will kill him.
(5) You must study diligently, and then you can learn to speak Chinese.
(6) How many hours a day ought I to study? I think you should study at least four hours a day: two in the morning and two is the afternoon.
(7) If your letter has been written, I will send the servant to take it.
(8) Early in the morning I want you to sweep the floor and wipe the table and chairs.
(9) Although the carpenter works quickly, he cannot finish it in a week.
(10) When you have finished this do not think there is nothing more to do, but come and tell me.
(11) I did not tell you to take it away, but on the contrary told you to put it in the office.
(12) If the doctor does not come immediately, this man cannot live.
(13) Who caused you to do it? He caused me to do it.

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Notes.

(1) Wan is sometimes used to qualify adjectives. Thus Wan °hau (??) means “fairly good” or “pretty good.”
(2) Soe-zen and Zen-r are generally used together; the first introducing the first clause, and the second, the second clause.
(3) In the first sentence of the First Exercise notice the formation of the verbal noun, “the things which we ought to do.”
(4) In the ninth sentence of the First Exercise notice that kwha° °tien does not mean “faster,” but is used for “quickly.”
(5) In the eleventh sentence of the First Exercise °Tung yi ’veh tuh means lit., “Wait him not get;” that is, “I cannot wait for him.”
(6) In the fourteenth sentence of the First Exercise notice the use of le. Le and chi are frequently used with other verbs to make the direction of the action clear. Thus °Sia le is, “Write come to me”; °Sia chi° is, “Write send away,” or “Write go.”
(7) In the fifth sentence of the Second Exercise, Diligently can be expressed by Yoong° sing, “Use heart or mind.”
(8) In this lesson frequent use has been made of the verb °Si (?). In speaking of a person dying the more euphonious expression is Koo°-s° ??.

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