Pear Stories (Singapore Teochew, 2011)

The “Pear Stories” is a film that was designed by a linguist, Wallace Chafe, as a way to get language samples from native speakers, by asking them to describe what they see in the film. The film itself has sound effects but no narration or speech. (More background information)

The following excerpt is a Singapore Teochew speaker describing what they see in the film. It demonstrates some of the differences in pronunciation and word choice that may reflect influences from Mandarin and Hokkien, which are more widely spoken in Singapore today.

The IPA transcription and English translation are from the original published source. The Chinese characters and Peng’im transcription have been added. Peng’im transcription may not match the IPA transcription, particularly in tones, because speech is also influenced by overall intonation and stress patterns. Where the usage or pronunciation differs from standard Teochew or Swatow pronunciation, a note has been added.

Source: Yeo, Pamela Yu Hui. (2011). A sketch grammar of Singapore Teochew (Academic exercise). Singapore: Nanyang Technological University. Nanyang Technological University

(Used with kind permission of Ms Pamela Yeo.)


tsi³³kaɪ¹¹ ku⁵³sə¹¹ si¹¹ hʊak⁵seɪŋ¹¹ tɔ¹¹ tseɪk² kaɪ¹¹ kʊɛ¹³tsi³³hə³³

zi2(1)gai5(7) gu3(2)se7 si6(7) huag4(8)sêng1 do6(7) zêg8(4)-gai5(7) guê2(6)zi2(1)he1.

只個 故事 是 發生 在 一個 果子園。

This story happened in a fruit plantation.

huag4sêng1 – “occur, happen”; pronunciation could be influenced by Mandarin, usually huêg4sên1.

he1 – “garden”; closer to Gêg’ion pronunciation (hin1) than Diêziu (hng1 / heng1), the -ng ending in the Diêziu pronunciation may have been dropped.


tseɪk² kaɪ¹¹ naŋ⁵⁵ tɔ¹¹ tshɪʊ¹¹ teɪŋ⁵³ tɪaʔ⁵ kʊɛ¹³tsi⁵³

zêg8(4)-gai5(7) nang5 do6(7) ciu7dêng2 diah4(8) guê2(6)zi2.

一個 儂 在 樹頂 摘 果子。

One person is on the tree top plucking fruit.


i³³ si¹¹ kɪɔ¹³tsɔʔ² pear la³³… eiŋ³³kaɪ³³ si¹¹ kɪɔ¹³tsɔʔ² lai⁵⁵ la³³ … tsʰɛ̃³³ seɪk² kaɪ¹¹

i1 si6(7) gio3(2)zoh8(4) pear la1 … êng1gai1 si6(7) gio3(2)zoh8(4) lai5 la1 … cên1sêg4 gai5(7).

伊 是 叫作 pear 啦⋯⋯ 應該 是 叫作 梨 啦⋯⋯ 青色 個。

It is called “pear” (English), should be called “lai5” (Teochew), green coloured ones.


i³³ tɪaʔ⁵ tseɪŋ³³ tsʊɪ¹¹ … tɪaʔ⁵-lɪaʊ⁵³ paŋ⁵³ tɔ¹¹ i³³-kaɪ¹¹ sã³³ teɪŋ⁵³

i1 diah4(8) zêng1zoi7 … diah4(8)-liao3(2) bang3(2) do6(7) i1-gai5(7) san1-dêng2.

伊 摘 真濟⋯⋯ 摘了 放 在 伊個 衫頂。

He plucked many (pears) … after plucking them [he] puts them on top of his clothes.


a… tiaʔ⁵-hɔ¹¹-liaʊ⁵³ lɔ³³ … i³³ tsu¹¹ lɔʔ² laʊ¹³tʰʊɪ³³

a … diah4(8)-ho2(6)-liao3(2) lo1 … i1 zu6(7) loh8(4) lao5(7)tui1.

啊⋯⋯ 摘好了 囉⋯⋯ 伊 就 落 樓梯。

Ah… having plucked [the pears], he then comes down the stairs… not stairs… yes… [they] are stairs.

lo1 – (sentence final particle); seen in Singlish “lor”


lɔʔ²-laɪ¹¹ tsu¹¹ hi³³kaɪ¹¹ tɪaʔ⁵ kaɪ¹¹ kʊɛ¹³tsi⁵³ paŋ⁵³ tɔ¹¹ sã³³-kaɪ¹¹ kʰeɪŋ⁵⁵ kɔ¹¹

loh8(4)-lai5(7) zu6(7) hi1gai5(7) diah4(8)-gai5(7) guê2(6)zi2 bang3(2)-do6(7) san1-gai5(7) kêng5-go3.

落來 就 許個 摘個 果子 放在 三個 筐 塊。

After coming down, the fruits that are plucked are put in three baskets.


a… tɪaʔ⁵-hɔ¹¹-lɪaʊ⁵³ tsu¹¹ tɔ³³təŋ⁵³ kʰə³³ … kʰi³³-kʰə³³ tsʰɪʊ¹¹ teɪŋ⁵³

a … diah4(8)-ho2(7)-liao2 zu6(7) do3(1)deng2(6) ke3(1) … ki3(1)ke3(1) ciu7dêng2.

啊⋯⋯ 摘好了 就 倒轉 去⋯⋯ 起去 樹頂。

Ah… having plucked [the pears], he then returned to the tree top.


then u¹¹ tseɪk² kaɪ¹¹ naŋ⁵⁵ kɪɔ¹¹ tseɪk² kaɪ¹¹ pʰeɪŋ³³ɪʊ⁵³ kɪa⁵⁵-laɪ³³

then u6(7) zêg8(4)-gai5(7) nang5 gio7 zêg8(4)-gai5(7) pêng5(7)iu2 gia5-lai5(1).

then 有 一個 儂 叫 一個 朋友 行來。

Then there was one person who brought a friend and walked over.

gia5 – “to walk”; usually pronounced with nasalized vowel: gian5


kɪa⁵⁵-lɪaʊ⁵³ bɔ¹¹ tsɔʔ² ti¹¹kaɪ⁵⁵ la³³ … bʊɛ³³ ki⁵⁵teɪk²-lɪaʊ⁵³ la³³

gia5-liao2 bho5(7) zoh8(4) di7gai5 la1 … bhuê6(7) gi3(5)dêg8(4)-liao2 la1.

行了 無 作 底個 啦⋯⋯ 袂 記得了 啦。

After they walk, they do not do anything… I can’t remember.


taŋ⁵³ u¹¹ tseɪk² kaɪ¹¹ noʊ¹³kɪa⁵³ taʔ² kʰa³³laʔ²tsʰɪa³³

dang2 u6(7) zêg8(4)-gai5(7) nou1gian2 dah8(4) ka1lah8(4)cia1.

等 有 一個 孥囝 踏 跤力車。

Later, there was a child riding a bicycle.


taʔ² taʔ² taʔ² taʔ² kaʊ⁵³ tseɪk² pʊa¹¹ tʰɔɪ̃⁵³-tɪɔʔ² hi³³kaɪ¹¹… u¹¹ sã³³… tseɪŋ³³ tsui¹¹ kʊɛ¹³tsi⁵³

dah8(4) dah8(4) dah8(4) dah8(4) gao3(2) zêg8(4)bua7 toi2-dioh8(4) hi1gai5 … u6(7) san1 … zêng1zui7 guê2(6)zi2.

踏 踏 踏 踏 到 一半 睇着 許個⋯⋯ 有三⋯⋯ 真濟 果子。

He keeps riding until halfway, he saw that… there were three… many fruits.

hi1gai5 – “that one”; usually pronounced he2gai5


i³³ tsu¹¹ hɪaʔ²-lɔʔ²-laɪ¹¹ tʰɔɪ̃³⁵tʰɔɪ̃⁵³ tseɪk² kaɪ¹¹

i1 zu6(7) hiah8(4)-loh8(4)-lai5(7) toi2(6)toi2 zêg8(4)-gai5(7).

伊 就 歇落來 睇睇 一個。

He then stopped and looked at one.


hi³³kaɪ¹¹ tɪaʔ² kʊɛ¹³tsi⁵³ kaɪ¹¹ naŋ⁵⁵ tɔ¹¹ tsʰɪʊ¹¹ teɪŋ⁵³

hi1gai5(7) diah8(4) guê2(6)zi2-gai5(7) nang5 do6(7) ciu7dêng2.

許個 摘 果子 個 儂 在 樹頂。

The man who plucks fruits / fruit plucker was on the tree top.


a³³nɛ³³ i³³ tsu¹¹ lɔʔ²-laɪ¹¹ … wa… i³³ lɔʔ²-laɪ¹¹ a… i³³ naŋ¹¹ bɔɪ¹¹-hɪaʊ⁵³ hɪaʔ⁵ kʰa³³tsʰɪa³³ kaɪ¹¹

a1nê1 i1 zu6(7) loh8(4)-lai5(7) … ua … i1 loh8(4)-lai5(7) a … i1nang5(7) bhoi6(7)hiao2 hiah4(8) ka1cia1 gai5(7).

按呢 伊 就 落來⋯⋯ wa⋯⋯ 伊 落來 啊⋯⋯ 伊儂 袂曉 歇 跤車 個。

He then comes down (from his bike)… wah… he comes down… they don’t know how to park the bicycle.

a1nê1 – “in that manner”; loan word from Hokkien

zu6 – “then, thereafter”; also pronounced ziu6


lɔʔ²-laɪ¹¹ kʰa³³laʔ²tsʰɪa³³ si¹¹ paŋ⁵³ tɔ¹¹ tʰoʊ¹¹ ɛ³⁵ kɔ¹¹

loh8(4)-lai5(7) ka1lah8(4)cia1 si6(7) bang3(2)-do6(7) tou5(7)ê6-ko3.

落來 跤力車 是 放 在 塗下 塊。

(When he) came down… the bicycle is but on the ground below.


m… i³³ tʰɔɪ̃⁵³-tɪɔʔ² bɔ¹¹ naŋ⁵⁵ tʰɔɪ̃⁵³ lɛ⁵⁵… tsu¹¹ gɪa¹¹ kʊɪ³³ kaɪ¹¹ … kʊɪ³³ kʰeɪŋ⁵⁵ kʊɛ¹³tsi⁵³ paŋ⁵³ tɔ¹¹ kʰa³³laʔ²tsʰɪa³³ tsu¹¹ maŋ¹¹maŋ¹¹ kɪa⁵⁵ … maŋ¹¹maŋ¹¹ taʔ²

m … i1 toi2(6)toi2 bho5(7) nang5 toi2 lê5 … zu6(7) ghia5(7) gui1-gai5(7) … gui1 kêng5 guê2(6)zi2 bang3(2)-do6(7) ka1lah8(4)cia1 zu6(7) mang7mang7 gia5 … mang7mang7 dah8.

m⋯⋯ 伊 睇着 無 儂 睇 le⋯⋯ 就 ghia5 幾個⋯⋯ 幾 筐 果子 放在 跤力車 就 慢慢 行⋯⋯ 慢慢 踏。

Hmm… he saw that no one is looking and took a few… few baskets of fruit and put [them] on the bicycle then slowly walked… slowly rode.

ghia5 – “to take, gather”, no standard character


taʔ² taʔ² taʔ² … taʔ² tseɪk² pʊa¹¹ wa … tʊɪ⁵³meɪŋ³³ tseɪk² kaɪ¹¹ tsa³³boʊ⁵³ a³³si¹¹ taʔ⁵ kʰa³³laʔ²tsʰɪa³³ kʊɛ³³-laɪ¹¹

dah8(4) dah8(4) dah8(4)… dah8(4) zêg8(4) bua7, wa… dui3(2)mêng1 zêg8(4)gai5(7) za1bhou2 a1si6(7) dah8 ka1lah8(4)cia1 guê1lai5(7)

踏 踏 踏 ⋯⋯ 踏 一半 wa ⋯⋯ 對面 一個 查某 阿是 踏 跤力車 過來。

He kept riding until halfway, wah… there is a girl on the opposite side also riding a bicycle over.


i³³ tsu¹¹ tʰɔɪ̃⁵³ tʰɔɪ̃⁵³ tʰɔɪ̃⁵³… tʰɔɪ̃⁵³-lɪaʊ⁵³ … ə… hi³³kaɪ¹¹ loʊ¹¹ u¹¹ tsɪɔʔ⁵ a³³si¹¹ bɔ¹¹ tsu⁵³i³³ tsu¹¹ pʊaʔ⁵-lɔʔ²-kʰə³³

i1 zu6(7) toin2 toin2 toin2 … toin2-liao2 … e … hi1gai5(7) lou7 u6(7) zioh8 a1si6(7) bho5(7) zu3(2)i3 zu6(7) buah8-loh8(4)ke3.

伊 就 睇 睇 睇 ⋯⋯ 睇了 ⋯⋯ e ⋯⋯ 許個 路 有 石 阿是 無 注意 就 跋落去。

He then kept looking… er… after looking, [he] does not realize there is a stone on that road and fell down.


i³³ pʊaʔ²-lɔʔ²-kʰə³³ lɛ³³ … kʊɛ¹³tsi⁵³ loʊŋ¹³tsoʊŋ¹¹ ka³³laʊʔ⁵ tʰɔʊ¹¹ ɛ³⁵ la³³ a …

i1 buah8(4)-loh8(4)ke3 lê1 … guê2(6)zi2 long2(6)zong2 ga1laoh8 tou5(7)ê6 la1 a …

伊 跋落去 le ⋯⋯ 果子 攏總 交落 塗下 啦 啊 ⋯⋯

He fell down… the fruits all dropped to the ground below.


i³³ tsu¹¹ tseɪŋ³³ keɪk⁵sim³³ lɔ³³

i1 zu6(7) zêng1 gêg4(8)sim1 lo1.

伊 就 真 激心 囉。

He was then very upset.


pu³³kɔʔ² lɛ³³ … u¹¹ sã³³ kaɪ¹¹ ta³³poʊ¹¹ … sã³³ kaɪ¹¹ pʰeɪŋ³³ɪʊ⁵³ kʊɛ³³-laɪ¹¹ tʰɔɪ̃⁵³-tɪɔʔ² i³³ pʊaʔ⁵-lɔʔ²-laɪ¹¹ tsu¹¹ kʰə³³ siɔ¹³hu³⁵

bu1goh8 le1 … u6(7) san1-gai5(7) da1bou1 … san1-gai5(7) pêng5(7)iu2 guê3-lai5(7) toin2-dioh8(4) i1 buah8-loh8(4)lai5(7) zu6(7) ke3 sio1hu6.

(不過) lê ⋯⋯ 有 三個 查埔 ⋯⋯ 三個 朋友 過來 睇着 伊 跋落來 就 去 相輔。

But there were three boys… three friends came over and see him fall down and went and helped.

bu1goh8 – “however”; pronunciation may be influenced by Mandarin, instead of bug4guê3


i³³-kaɪ¹¹ kʊɛ³tsi⁵³ loʊŋ¹³tsoʊŋ³³ paŋ⁵³ tɔ¹¹ hi³³kaɪ¹¹ kʰeɪŋ⁵⁵ … paŋ⁵³ tɔ¹³təŋ⁵³ kɔ⁵³ siɔ¹³hu³⁵ kʰɔʔ² i³³ paŋ⁵³ tɔ¹¹ kʰa³³laʔ²tsʰɪa³³

i1-gai5(7) guê2(6)zi2 long2(6)zong2 bang3(2) do6(7) hi1gai5(7) kêng5 … bang3(2) do2(6)deng2 go2 sio1hu6 koh4 i1 bang3(2) do6(7) ka1lah8(4)cia1.

伊個 果子 攏總 放 在 許個 筐 ⋯⋯ 放 倒轉 閣 相輔 乞 伊 放 在 跤力車。

His fruits are put back in that basket… [they] put back [the fruits] and also help him put [the basket] on the bicycle.

go2 – “also, again”; usually pronounced with stop: goh4

koh4 – (passive marker); pronounced today as keg4/kêg4/kig4 in China, but as koih4 in Singapore Teochew (since at least the 19th century, as attested in Lim 1886). In Hokkien, the passive marker is 予 hō͘, so the pronunciation koh4 here may be influenced by Hokkien.


a³³nɛ³³ hi³³kaɪ¹¹ noʊ¹³kɪa⁵³ tsu¹¹ kʰɪɔʔ⁵-tsɔʔ² kʰa³³laʔ²tsʰɪa³³ tsu¹¹ kɪa⁵⁵ lɔ³³

a1nê1 hi1gai5(7) nou1gian2 zu6(7) kioh8-zoh4 ka1lah8(4)cia1 zu6(7) gia5 lo1.

按呢 許個 孥囝 就 挈作 跤力車 就 行 囉。

That child then took his bike and walked.


tsi³³tsuŋ³³ i³³ bɔ¹¹ taʔ² kʰa³³laʔ²tsʰɪa³³ lɔ³³ … eɪŋ³³ʊɪ¹¹ kʰa³³ sɪʊ¹³sɪɔ³⁵-lɪaʊ⁵³ ma³³

zi2(6)zung1 i1 bho5(7) dah8(4) ka1lah8(4)cia1 lo1 … êng1ui6(7) ka1 siu2(6)sio1-liao2 ma1.

只陣 伊 無 踏 跤力車 囉 ⋯⋯ 因為 跤 受傷了 嗎。

Now he doesn’t ride the bicycle because his leg was injured.

siu6sio1 – “injured”; sio1 is usually nasalized: sion1


a³³nɛ³³ kɪa⁵⁵ kaʊ⁵³ tseɪk² pʊa¹¹ i³³-kaɪ¹¹ pʰeɪŋ³³ɪʊ⁵³ a³³si¹¹ kɪa⁵⁵ leɪŋ³³ʊa¹¹ tseɪk² kaɪ¹¹ ti¹¹hə̃³⁵

a1nê1 gia5 gao3(2) zêg8(4)bua7 i1-gai5(7) pêng1iu2 a1si6(7) gia5 lêng1(gh)ua7 zêg8(4)gai5(7) di7hen1.

按呢 行 到 一半 伊個 朋友 阿是 行 另外 一個 地方。

So [he] walked halfway and his friends also walked to another place.

lêng1(gh)ua7 – “alternative”; the (gh) sound elided because of the -ng in the preceding syllable.

di7hen1 – “place”; usually di7heng1 or di7hng1, the -ng ending has become a nasalized vowel.


a… tʰɔɪ̃⁵³-tɪɔʔ², eɪ… tʰoʊ³³ ɛ³⁵ u¹¹ tseɪk² kaɪ¹¹ bɔ¹¹

a … toin2-dioh8(4), ê … tou5(7)ê6 u6(7) zêg8(4)-gai5(7) bho7.

啊⋯⋯ 睇着,e⋯⋯ 塗下 有 一個 帽。

Ah… [they] see, hey, there is a hat on the floor.


a… ʊaŋ³³laɪ⁵⁵ si¹¹ hi³³kaɪ¹¹ noʊ¹³kɪa⁵³ pʊaʔ² kaɪ¹¹ si¹¹ ka³³laʊʔ⁵ kaɪ¹¹

a … uang1lai5 si6(7) hi1gai5(7) nou1gian2 buah8(4)-gai5(7) si6(7) ga1laoh8-gai5(7).

啊⋯⋯ 原來 是 許個 孥囝 跋 個 時 交落 個。

Ah… [it] is actually that kid that dropped it when he fell.

uang1lai5 – “originally”; vs. Diêziu pronunciation nguêng5lai5, may either be elision of the initial ng- or influence of Mandarin yuánlái.


a… hi³³tsʰɔ² noʊ¹³kɪa⁵³ tsu¹¹ kʰɪɔʔ⁵ tɔ³³təŋ³³ kʰɔʔ² hi³³kaɪ¹¹ taʔ² kʰa³³laʔ²tsʰɪa³³ kaɪ¹¹ noʊ¹³kɪa⁵³

a … hi1coh8(4) nou1gian2 zu6(7) kioh8 do1deng2 koh4 hi1gai5(7) dah8(4) ka1lah8(4)cia1-gai5(7) nou1gian2.

啊⋯⋯ 許撮 孥囝 就 挈 倒轉 乞 許個 踏 跤力車 個 孥囝。

Ah, those children then took back and returned [the hat] to the child riding the bicycle.


a³³nɛ³³ əm³³ tsaɪ³³ si¹¹ ti¹¹tɪaŋ⁵⁵ kʰɔʔ² kʊɛ¹³tsiʔ² la³³ … i³³naŋ¹¹ ə… hi⁵³ sã³³ kaɪ¹¹ noʊ¹³kɪa⁵³ tsu¹¹ tseɪk² naŋ⁵⁵ tseɪk² kaɪ¹¹ kʊɛ¹³tsi⁵³ lɔ³³

a1nê1 m6(7)-zai1 si6(7) di7diang5 koh4 guê2(6)zi2 la1 … i1nang5(7) e … hi2 san1-gai5(7) nou1gian2 zu6(7) zêg8(4)-nang5 zêg8(4)-gai5(7) guê2(6)zi2 lo1.

按呢 唔知 是 底珍 乞 果子 啦 ⋯⋯ 伊儂 e ⋯⋯ 許 三個 孥囝 就 一儂 一個 果子 囉。

[I am] not sure who gave fruits… they er… those three children then have one fruit each.


tseɪŋ³³ hʊa³⁵hi⁵³ tsu¹¹ tsɪaʔ⁵ tsɪaʔ⁵ tsɪaʔ⁵

zêng1 huan1hi2 zu6(7) ziah8 ziah8 ziah8.

真 歡喜 就 食 食 食。

[They are] very happy and keep eating.


a³³nɛ³³ tsi³³tsuŋ³³ si¹¹ tʰɔɪ̃⁵³ … kʰə³³ leɪŋ³³ʊa¹¹ tseɪk² pɔɪ̃³³ si¹¹ tʰɔɪ̃⁵³ hi³³kaɪ¹¹ tɪaʔ⁵ kʊɛ¹³tsi⁵³ kaɪ¹¹ naŋ⁵⁵

a1nê1 zi2(6)zung1 si6(7) toin2 …. ke3(2) lêng1ua7 zêg8(4) boin1 si6(7) toin2 hi1gai5(7) diah4(8) guê2(6)zi2-gai5(7) nang5.

按呢 只陣 是 睇 ⋯⋯ 去 另外 一爿 是 睇 許個 摘 果子 個 儂。

So now [we] look at … go to the other side and see that person who is plucking fruit / fruit plucker.


a… i³³ tɔ¹¹ tsʰɪʊ¹¹ teɪŋ⁵³ tɪaʔ⁵-hɔ¹¹-lɪaʊ⁵³ tsʊ¹¹ lɔʔ²-laɪ¹¹

a… i1 do6(7) ciu7dêng2 diah8-ho6(7) liao2 zu6(7) loh8(4)-lai5(4).

啊 ⋯⋯ 伊 在 樹頂 摘好了 就 落來。

Ah… he finishes plucking on the tree top then came down.


eɪ… tsu³³ni³³ sã³³ kaɪ¹¹ kʰeɪŋ³³ pɪa⁵³tsɔ⁵³ nɔ¹¹ kaɪ¹¹ kʰeɪŋ³³ lɛ³³ … tsu¹¹ tseɪŋ³³ ki³³kʊaɪ¹¹

ei … zo3(2)ni5(7) san1-gai5(7) kêng1 bia3(2)zo3(2) no6(7)-gai5(7) kêng1 lê1 … zu6(7) zêng1 ki1guai7.

ei⋯⋯ 做呢 三個 筐 變做 兩個 筐 le ⋯⋯ 就 真 奇怪。

Hey, why did three baskets become two baskets… very strange.

bia3 – “to change”; in Diêziu either bin3 (vernacular) or biang3 (literary, also in bho5biang3 “no choice”), but here the -ng ending may have been elided, or changed from influence of Hokkien (piàn) or Mandarin (biàn).


then tsu¹¹ tʰɔĩ⁵³ sã³³ kaɪ¹¹ noʊ¹³kɪa⁵³ laɪ⁵⁵

then zu6(7) toin2 san1-gai5(7) nou1gian2 lai5.

then 就 睇 三個 孥囝 來。

Then [he] saw three children come.


tʰɔɪ̃⁵³-tɪɔʔ² … eɪ … sã³³ kaɪ¹¹ nou¹³kɪa⁵³ tseɪk² naŋ⁵⁵ tsʰɪʊ⁵³ tsu¹¹ kʰɪɔʔ⁵-tsɔʔ² tseɪk² kaɪ¹¹ kʊɛ¹³tsi⁵³ lɔ¹¹-tsɪaʔ⁵ tseɪŋ³³dzɪaŋ¹¹ si¹¹ i³³-kaɪ¹¹ kʊɛ¹³tsi⁵³ ma³³

toin2-dioh8(4) … ê … san1-gai5(7) nou1gian2 zêg8(4)-nang5 ciu2 zu6(7) kioh8-zoh4 zêg8(4)-gai5(7) guê2(6)zi2 lo1-ziah8 zêng1 riang5(7) si6(7) i1-gai5(7) guê2(6)zi2 ma1.

睇着 ⋯⋯ ei ⋯⋯ 三個 孥囝 一儂 手 就 挈作 一個 果子 囉食,真 然 是 伊個 果子 嗎。

[He] saw three children each holding a fruit in hand and eating… really resembles his fruit.

lo1 - here functioning as marker for the progressive aspect for the verb ziah8 “to eat” (“in the process of eating”), not as a sentence final particle.


i³³ a³³si¹¹ bɔ¹¹ məŋ³³ tsu¹¹ tʰɔɪ̃⁵³ i³³naŋ¹¹ kʊɛ³³-kʰə³³ … tsu¹¹ si¹¹ a³³nɛ³³kʰʊaŋ⁵³ … gɔŋ¹¹gɔŋ¹¹

i1 a1si6(7) bho5(7) meng7 zu6(7) toin2 i1nang5(7) guê3ke3 … zu6(7) si6(7) a1nê1-kuang2 … ghong3ghong3.

伊 阿是 無 問 就 睇 伊儂 過去 ⋯⋯ 就 是 按呢款 ⋯⋯ 戇戇。

He still does not ask and watches them walk away… so it is like that… [he is] silly.


Original content copyright (c) 2019-2024 Brandon Seah, except where otherwise indicated