Sentence final particles and interjections
Sentence final particles, also known as “utterance particles”, are a typical feature of Chinese languages, but they are challenging to learn and to analyze because of their protean flexibility. They are typically monosyllabic, and are applied to the ends of phrases, clauses, or sentences to lend different shades of meaning, attitude, or emotion, but the particle does not have a specific semantic meaning by itself. Cantonese in particular has a rich variety of such particles, but Teochew also has a good number of them.
They are not as well researched as other aspects of Teochew grammar, so the descriptions here are tentative, and mostly based on transcribed speech examples. The examples given here are largely taken from Singaporean Teochew usage, and may not be representative of Teochew spoken elsewhere.
Contents
Question particles
Particles used in questions are discussed in more detail under “Questions”. A summary is given below:
| Definition | IPA | Peng’im | Characters |
|---|---|---|---|
| yes-no questions | me¹¹ | mê7 | 口+乜 |
| skepticism | me⁵⁵ | mê5 | 口+乜 |
| seeking confirmation | hã⁵³ | han2 | 𠳝 |
| reciprocal questions | ne⁵⁵ | nê5 | 呢/呤 |
| “softening” questions | ne⁵⁵ | nê5 | 呢/呤 |
Sentence final particles
no7 • 二 • emphasis
According to Li (1959), this particle is used for entreaties, persuasion, and rhetorical questions. Furthermore, he states that a slight falling intonation vs. a flat low tone (tone 7) distinguishes a simple acknowledgement and an emphasis respectively. His example was:
ua⁵³ tsai³³ no¹¹
Ua2 zai1 no.
我 知 二.
I know SFP.
I know (slight falling intonation) vs. I definitely know (flat low tone)
Emphasis can be used to confirm something that had been put to the speaker in a question. In the following example, the speaker has just been asked if the Speak Mandarin Campaign in Singapore had an influence on the recruitment of new actors to his Teochew opera troupe:
oi³⁵ no¹¹ / oi³⁵ no¹¹ / u¹¹ ĩã³⁵hiaŋ⁵³ no¹¹
Oi6 no7, oi6 no7, u6(7) ian2(6)hiang3(2) no7
會no7，會no7，有 影響 二
Can SFP, can SFP, have influence SFP
Yes, yes, there has indeed been an influence
no7 can also indicate that the speaker has just realized or recognized a fact, or wishes to acknowledge it. In the following example, the speaker is skeptical that his conversation partner is able to say something in English.
si¹¹ lɯ⁵³ boi¹¹hiau³⁵ ek⁵ no¹¹
Si6(7) le2 bhoi6(7)hiao2(6) êg8 no7.
是 汝 袂曉 譯 二。
Is you NEG-able translate SFP.
So you don’t know how to translate it, after all?
Li (1959) writes this word with a character 𰇇 consisting of a mouth radical 口 and the number two 二, because it is pronounced like 二 no6. However, this character is not available in most fonts.
ho2 • 好 • seeking confirmation
When the speaker wants an acknowledgement or confirmation from the other party, and the sentence is not phrased as a question. Also used rhetorically.
lɯ⁵³ mũã³⁵zik⁵ ai⁵³ lai⁵⁵ ho⁵³
Le2 muan2(6)rig8 ai3(2) lai5 ho2!
汝 ～日 愛 來 好！
You tomorrow want come SFP!
You have to come tomorrow!
***
lɯ⁵³ mai⁵³ si⁵³sua⁵³ lai⁵⁵ ho⁵³
Le2 mai3(2) si3(2)sua2 lai5 ho2!
汝 莫 四散 來 好！
You NEG slipshod come SFP!
Don’t try to pull any tricks
a1 • ～ • emphasis
At the end of entire sentence as emphasis.
tiaŋ¹¹nau⁵³ loŋ³⁵tsoŋ⁵³ kʰoiʔ² i³³ pũã³³pũã³³ kʰɯ¹¹ a³³
diang6(7)nao2 long2(6)zong2 koih8(4)-i1 buan1buan1 ke3 a!
電腦 攏總 乞 伊 搬搬去 a！
computer all PASS he move-DVC SFP!
All the computers were taken away by them!
To emphasize the subject or topic of the sentence:
a¹¹ si¹¹ u¹¹ tʰam³³bu³³ a / tʰam³³bu³³ tiau¹¹tsʰai¹¹tsɯ³³ tsa⁵³ tsiu¹¹ lai¹¹ tsʰe³³ lou¹¹ / hũã¹¹ lau³³ lɯ²¹³
A7-si6(7) u6(7) tam1bhu1 a, Tam1bhu1-diao7cai7zê11 za2 ziu6(7) lai5(7) cê5-lou7, huan6 lao1 le3?
若是 貪污 a，貪污調查局 早 就來 查𡀔，還 留 汝？
If-is corruption SFP, corruption-investigation-agency early then-come investigate-PERF, still leave you?
It there was corruption, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau would have come knocking long ago. They wouldn’t keep you waiting.
ma1 • 嗎 • certainty
According to Li (1959), this expresses certainty.
i³³ tĩã¹¹tieʔ⁵ oi³⁵ kai¹¹ ma³³
I1 dian6(7)diêh8 oi6 gai7 ma
伊 定着 會 個 ma
He certainly can REL SFP
He’s sure to know how to do it
nê5/7 呢/呤 • emphasis
Indicates a pause, to emphasize the subject or topic of the sentence.
naŋ⁵³ seŋ³³kia³³po¹¹ ne⁵⁵ / si¹¹ to³³naŋ⁵⁵ tsoŋ³⁵tsok⁵ kai¹¹ sia¹¹hue³⁵
Nang2 Sêng1gia1bo1 nê5, si6(7) do1-nang5 zong2(6)zog8 gai5(7) sia6(7)huê6.
俺 新加坡 呤，是 多元 種族 個 社會。
We-incl. Singapore SFP, is diverse ethnicity REL society.
Our Singapore is a multi-ethnic society.
It can also contrast a phrase or a clause with another one preceding it. In the following example, the first nê5 reinforces bug4(8)guê3 “however”. The second nê5 emphasizes the contrast in the u6(7)gai5… u6(7)gai5… pair (“some are …, some others are …”).
puk²kue²¹³ ne³³ / naŋ⁵³ tɯŋ¹¹naŋ⁵⁵ kai¹¹ ue¹¹ na³³ / u¹¹ kai⁵⁵ ho³⁵ tʰĩã³³ / u¹¹ kai⁵⁵ ne³³ iou³⁵ m¹¹ ho³⁵ tʰĩã³³
Bug4(8)guê3 nê1, nang2 deng5(7)nang5 gai5(7) uê7 na, u5(7)-gai5 ho2(6)-tian1, u6(7)-gai5 nê1 iou6 m7-ho2(6)-tian1.
不過 呤，俺 唐儂 個 話 na，有個 好聽，有個 呤 夭 唔好聽。
However SFP, we-incl. Chinese-people GEN speech SFP, have CL pleasant, have CL SFP more NEG-pleasant.
However, the languages of us Chinese people, some are pleasant sounding, while some are not.
li1 • 哩 • “softening”, affirmation
Affirms a statement that is called into question. Also “softens” a statement that is otherwise abrupt or plain.
Q: lɯ⁵³ kak²tek² tie¹¹ sũã⁵⁵ ue¹¹ kʰaʔ² u¹¹ eŋ³⁵
Q: Le2 gag8(4)dêg8(4) Diê5(7)-Suan5-uê7 kah4 u6(7)-êng6?
問：汝 覺得 潮汕話 kah4 有用？
You feel Teo-Swa-language Q have-use?
Do you feel that Teo-Swa language is useful?
***
A: u¹¹ eŋ³⁵ li³³ / hui⁵⁵ue¹¹
A: U6(7)-êng6 li1. Hui5uê7!
答：有用 哩。 廢話！
Have-use SFP. Nonsense!
Of course. What rubbish!
(“Is there a use for Teo-Swa language?”)
oi • ~ • addressing someone
When calling someone directly, oi follows the name or term of address.
a³³ ia⁵⁵ oi¹¹ / lɯ⁵³ mueʔ² miʔ⁵sɯ¹¹
A1-ia5 oi7, le2 muêh8(4) mih4(8)se7?
阿爺 oi， 汝 物 乜事？
Old-man SFP, you do what-thing?
Ahoy Old Master! What are you doing?
(“Knowing one but not the other”)
Interjections
Interjections are “standalone” particles
ai2ia6 • ～～ • skepticism
A: ua⁵³ si¹¹ huaŋ³³naŋ⁵⁵ tsuaŋ³³ke³³ / B: ai⁵³ ia³⁵
A: Ua2 si6(7) huang1nang5 zuang1gê1. / B: Ai2-ia6?
甲： 我 是 凡人 裝假。 / 乙： 唉呀？
A: I am commoner pretending. / B: [particle]
A: I am just a normal person acting clever. / B: Is that so?
ai2io7 • ～～ • disappointment or despair
han6 • ～ • disbelief, surprise
Used to express disbelief at what someone else has just said, and also as a (somewhat rude) way to express that one could not hear what was just said (e.g. over the telephone).
(Fifth Lady has just learned that she has been betrothed to Lim Dua)
(Fifth-lady): bo²⁵ tsʰiŋ³³ / lim⁵⁵ ke³³ tsɯ²⁵ ti²⁵ / ui¹¹ naŋ⁵⁵ tsʰou³³ pʰi⁵³
(Fifth-lady): bo2(6)cing1, Lim5-gê1 ze2(6)di6, ui5(7)nang5 cou1pi2
五娘：母親，林家 子弟，爲人 粗鄙
Fifth Lady: Mother, Lim-family sons-brothers, personality crude
Fifth Lady: Mother, the scions of the Lim family are crude and uncouth
***
(Father): hã²⁵ / hu¹¹ sueʔ² / ua⁵² pʰeŋ¹¹ si⁵⁵ tsa²⁵ ĩẽ¹¹ ka⁵² tau¹¹ i³³ lɯ⁵²
(Father): han6?! hu5(7)suêh4, ua2 pêng5(7)si5 za2(6)iên7 ga3(2)dao6(7) i1 le2?
員外：～？胡說，我 平時 怎樣 教導 於 汝？
Father: han?! Nonsense, I usually how teach towards you?
Father: What?! Nonsense, how have I raised you to behave?
Dang-san Ngou-niê (1961 film) Scene 6, around 29:11
References and further reading
- Lǐ Yǒngmíng 李永明 (1959), 《潮州方言》, Chapter 5 part 22, Chapter 3 part 5
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Tam1bhu1-diao7cai7zê1 - Pronunciation here may show influence from Mandarin. The standard Teochew pronunciation would be tam1u1 tiao5(7)cê5(7)gêg8 ↩