Christmas Story in Teochew

Christmas is soon upon us, and our Christian friends might appreciate hearing the Christmas story in Teochew. This version (Luke 2:4-14) comes from an 1892 translation of the Four Gospels and Book of Acts in romanized Teochew, published by Presbyterian missionaries from Britain.

In the following extract, the original romanization is given first, followed by the modern Teochew Peng’im, a rendering of the Teochew in Chinese characters, and an English translation (King James Version), as well as vocabulary notes. Two characters used in the original romanization are substituted here: “u” with two dots below is replaced with “w”, and superscript “n” is replaced with “N”.

You can read the original here. In addition to Teochew, Bible translations in other Chinese languages, mostly produced by missionaries in the 19th and early 20th centuries, can be found on this website. It is certainly a very useful resource both for Chinese linguistics and for the history of Christianity in China and Chinese-speaking communities.

Iak-sek sĩ sók Tã-phek kâi ke-tsók, kù-tshẃ iā tshông-tō Ka-lĩ-lĩ Ná-sat-lék kâi siâN-ip khẁ Iû-thài, kàu Tã-phek kâi siâN-ip, miâN kiè-tsò Pek-lĩ-hêng,

Iag4sêg4 si6 sog8 Da6pêg4 kai5 gi1zog8, gu3ce2 ia7 cong5do6 Ga-li-li Na-sag-lêg gai5 sian5ib4 ke3 Iu-tai, gao3 Da6pêg4 gai5 sian5ib4, mian5 giê3zo3 Bêg-li-hêng,

約瑟是屬大衛個枝族，故此也從在加利利拿撒勒個城邑去猶太，到大衛個城邑，名叫做伯利恆，

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

約瑟 – Joseph

大衛 – David

加利利 – Gallilee

拿撒勒 – Nazareth

猶太 – Judaea

城邑 – city, district

kāng i só tiāN-phiàN kâi chhi, Má-lī-a, teng-kì mîn-chiã; hẃ-kâi sî-hāu Má-lĩ-a iN-keng ũ sin-hūn.

gang1 i1 so2 dêng6pian3 gai5 ci1, Ma2li6a1, dêng1gi3 ming5zia6, he2gai5 si5hao7 Ma2li6a1 in2gêng1 u6 sing1hung7.

共伊所定聘個妻，瑪麗亞，登記民籍，許個時候瑪麗亞已經有身份。

to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

瑪麗亞 – Mary

伯利恆 – Bethlehem

u6 sêng1hung6 – Teochew term for “pregnant”

I tõ-hẃ-kò kâi sî-hāu, tú-ngõ i seN-kiáN kâi jit-khî kàu–liáu.

I1 do6he2go3 gai5 si5hao7, du1ngo3 i1 sên1gian2 gai5 rig8ki5 gao3liao2.

伊在許塊個時候，堵遇伊生囝個日期到了。

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

Chiũ seN i thâu-tho kâi kiáN, ēng-pòu lâi-pau I, pàng I út tõ bé-tsô, in-ũi kheh-tiàm-lái bô khang kâi ūi-tshẁ hó pun in.

Ziu7 sên1 i1 tao5to1 gai5 gian2, eng7bou3 lai5-bao1 I1, bang3 I1 ug8 to6 bhê2zo5, ing1ui6 kêh4diam3-lai5 bho5 kang1-gai5 ui7ce6 ho2 bung1 ing1.

就生伊頭胎個囝，用布來包伊，放伊夗在馬槽，因為客店內無空個位（置？）好分𪜶。

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

ing 𪜶 – third person plural pronoun, contraction of i1nang5 伊儂

Tō hẃ-kâi tī-hng ũ chiéN-ièN kâi nâng tõ khuàng-iá–kò siú mê-keN chiéN in-kâi iêN-khûn.

Do6 he2gai5 di7hng1 u6 ziên2iên5 gai5 nang5 do6 huang1ia2-go3 siu2 mê5gên3 ziên2 ing1-gai5 iên5kung5.

在許個地方有掌羊個儂在荒野塊守夜更掌𪜶個羊群。

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

Tsú chék-kâi sài-chiá khiã tō in–kò, Tsú kâi iông-kuang sì-ûi chiè–tiéh in, chiéN-iêN kâi nâng tūa-tūa kiaN-kũ.

Zu2 zêg8gai5 sai3zia2 kia6 do6 ing1ko3, Zu2-gai5 iong5guang1 si3ui5 ziê3diêh8 ing1, ziên2iên5-gai5 nang5 dua7dua7 gian1gu6

主一個使者徛在𪜶塊，主個榮光四圍照着𪜶，掌羊個儂大大驚懼。

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

Sài-chiá chiũ tùi-in tàN, Mài-kiaN; uá pò nín tūa huaN-hí kâi kia-im, àiN pìn-kip peh-sèN chèng-nâng.

Sai3zia2 ziu6 dui3-ing1 dan3: “mai3-gian1, ua2 bo3 ning2 dua7 huan1hi1 gai5 gia1im1, ain3 bing2gib4 bêh4sên3 zêng3nang5.

使者就對𪜶呾：「勿驚；我報恁大歡喜個佳音，愛稟給百姓眾儂。

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

In-ũi kim-jit tō Tã-phek kâi siâN-ip ũi-tièh nín seN Kiù-tsú chiũ-sī Tsú Ki-tok.

Ing1ui7 gim1rig8 do6 Da6pêg4 gai5 sian5ib4 ui5diêh8 ning2 sên1 Giu3zu2 ziu6si6 Zu2-Gi1dog4.

因為今日在大衛個城邑為着恁生救主就是主基督。

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Nín chiang-àiN tshūe–tiéh eng-jî pau-pòu, út tõ bé-tsô, chiá-kâi chiũ-sĩ pun nín tsò kì-hõ.

Ning2 ziang1ain3 cuê2-diêh8 êng1ri5 bao1bou3, ug8-do6 bhê2zo5, zia2gai5 ziu6si6 bung1 ning2 zo3 gi3ho7.

恁將愛揣着嬰兒包布，夗在馬槽，者個就是分恁作記號。」

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

Hut-jiên ũ thiN-téng kâi kun-s~w chék-khûn kāng hẃ-kâi sài-chiá tsò-pû tō–kò, sōng-tsàn Siãng-tì, chiũ tàN,

Hug4riêng5 u6 tin1dêng2-gai5 gung1se6 zêg8-kung5 gang7 he2gai5 sai3zia2 zo3bu7 do6go3, song6zang3 Siang6di3, ziu6 dan3:

忽然有天頂個軍士一群共許個使者做垺在塊，頌讚上帝，就呾：

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Tõ chiēN iông-kuang kui tõ Siãng-tì,

“Do6 ziên6 iong5guang1 gui1 do6 Siang6di3,

「在上榮光歸在上帝，

Glory to God in the highest,

Tõ tī-mīn phêng-an, nâng tit-tiéh wn-ài.

Do6 di7ming7 pêng5ang1, nang5 dêg8diêh8 eng1ain3.”

在地面平安，儂得着恩愛。」

and on earth peace, good will toward men.

The two main groups of Protestant missionaries in the Teochew / Swatow region were American Baptists and the Presbyterians. The Baptists produced a Bible translation using Chinese characters, whereas the Presbyterians published their own with romanized Teochew.

According to an article by Don Snow and Chen Nuanling (“Missionaries and written Chaoshanese”, 2015), this reflected different attitudes on how best to deal with the vernacular Teochew language, which does not have a standard written form in Chinese characters, which they represent as more “culturally conservative” (using characters) vs. “much more radical” (using only romanization). Nonetheless, the romanized text is still “bookish” in its vocabulary and style.

The romanization also preserves some older features of pronunciation that changed between the 19th and 20th centuries. Most noticeably, in the 19th century there were still syllables ending in [-in] in Teochew, which are mostly pronounced as [-ing] today (e.g. “in” 𪜶 “they/them” vs. “ing1”), and some syllables ending in [-t], which now are pronounced [-g] (e.g. “jit” 日 “day” vs. “rig8”)

Posted on 2020-12-24 00:00:00 +0000