Chua Hong Kee Interview

Interview with Chua Hong Kee 蔡奉岐 (extract)

Oral history interview from the Oral History Centre, National Archives of Singapore (accession 002979, reel 16). The complete interview is over 17 hours long. Chua Hong Kee 蔡奉岐 recounts his long career in Teochew opera, beginning as a child actor at the age of nine, to performing in different countries, and managing his own troupe.

In this extract, he explains the impact that the Speak Mandarin Campaign in Singapore had on the audience and recruitment of actors, and also some issues of Teochew pronunciation. The interviewer Lye Soo Choon 賴素春 speaks in Mandarin (marked as (M) or 【華】), whereas Chua replies in Teochew (marked as (T) or 【潮】).

The recording can be heard online, along with a transcript in Mandarin.

(Used with permission from the National Archives of Singapore.)

L: (M) Cài xiānshēng, nín kéyǐ zài shuō yíxià jiùshì “Jiǎng Huáyǔ Yùndòng”, qíshí dùi xìbān de yíngxiǎng zài nálǐ?

賴：【華】蔡先生，您可以再說一下就是「講華語運動」，其實對戲班的影響在哪裡？

Mr Chua, could you please talk about the “Speak Mandarin Campaign”, and how it affected the opera scene?

“Jiǎng Huáyǔ Yùndòng” hǎoxiàng zài qī, bā-shí niándài jiù kāishǐ le, shìmā? Nàge shíhòu jiù kāishǐ yǒu yíngxiǎng mā?

「講華語運動」好像在七、八十年代就開始了是嗎？那個時候就開始有影響嗎？

The “Speak Mandarin Campaign began in the 70s or 80s, right? Did it already begin to have an effect at that time?

C: (T) […] hua¹¹ gɯ⁵² kai¹¹ uŋ¹¹toŋ²⁵ kʰi⁵⁵ lai¹¹ ne³³ / tsu¹¹ si¹¹ u¹¹ ĩã²⁵ hiaŋ⁵² tʰau¹¹ tʰau⁵⁵ tsu¹¹ / lɯ⁵² tsu¹¹ bo¹¹ miʔ⁵ tsai³³ ma

C: (T) […] hua5(7)ghe2 gai5(7) ung7dong6 ki2(6)lai5(7) nê1, zu7 si6(7) u6(7) ian2(6)hiang2(6) tao5(7)tao5 zu7… le2 zu7 bho5(7)-mih4(8) zai1 ma.

蔡：【潮】X 華語個運動起來 ne，就是有影響頭頭就⋯⋯ 汝就無乜知 ma。

C: When it began, the Speak Mandarin Campaign had an effect, at the beginning… you just wouldn’t know, after all.

tsap² ni¹¹ au²⁵ lieu⁵² / tsek² tsʰoʔ⁵ nou³³ kĩã⁵² ĩ²⁵keŋ³³ tsĩã⁵² tsap² hue²¹³ lieu⁵²

Zab8(4)-ni5(7) ao6 liêu2, zêg8(4)-coh4(8) nou1gian2 in2(6)gêng1 zian2 zab8(4)-huê3 liêu2.

十年後了，一撮奴仔已經整十歲了。

After ten years, these children would already be ten years old.

i³³ kʰi²⁵ lai¹¹ kau²¹³ i³³ tsu¹¹ tui⁵⁵ huaŋ³³ ŋaŋ⁵⁵ tsu¹¹ tso⁵² tsek² e¹¹ tsʰuaŋ¹¹ pou²⁵ lo³³ boi¹¹ hiau⁵² lou¹¹ a³³

I1 ki2(6)lai5(7) gao3 i1 zu7 dui3(5) huang1ngang5 zu7 zo3(2)-zêg8(4)-ê6(7) cuang5(7)bou6 lo1 bhoi6(7)hiao2 lou7 a1.

伊起來到伊就對方言就做一下全部囉袂曉𡀔 a。

When they grow up, they would have completely no idea about dialects.

huaŋ³³ ŋaŋ⁵⁵ i³³ tsai³³ boi¹¹ hiau⁵² i³³ tsu¹¹ tʰõĩ⁵² lɯ⁵² kai¹¹ tie¹¹ tsiu³³ hi²¹³ i³³ tʰõĩ⁵² lieu⁵² suaʔ² ho²⁵ tsʰio²¹³ / m¹¹ tsai³³ tsia⁵² kai¹¹

Huang1ngang5 i1 zai1 bhoi6(7)hiao2 i1 zu7 toin2 le2-gai7 Diê5(7)ziu1-hi3 i1 toin2-liêu2 suah4 ho2(6)-cio3, m6(7)-zai1 zia2-gai7.

方言伊知袂曉伊就睇汝個潮州戲伊睇了 X 好笑，唔知～個，

Not knowing the dialects, should they watch Teochew opera, they would just find it funny because they don’t know what it is,

(M) bùzhīdào tā zài zuò shěme, tā yě búhuì tīng,

【華】不知道他在做什麼，他也不會聽，

not knowing what the actors are saying, they can’t understand anyway,

(T) tsʰuaŋ¹¹ pou²⁵ i³³ a³³ boi¹¹ hiau²⁵ tʰĩã³³

(T) cuang5(7)bou6 i1 a1 bhoi6(7)hiao2(6) tian1.

【潮】全部伊也袂曉聽。

they wouldn’t understand anything.

so²⁵ ĩ⁵² u²⁵ / to¹¹ tsi⁵² ĩõ¹¹ mueʔ² u¹¹ pʰaʔ⁵ kʰek² tioʔ² / tsek² tsʰoʔ² hau¹¹ sẽ³³ kai⁵⁵ kɯ³³ to⁵⁵ lo¹¹

So2(6)in2 u6, do6(7) zi2-ion7-muêh4 u6(7) pah4(8)kêg4-dioh4. Zêg8(4)coh4 hao6(7)sên1-gai5 ge1do5 lo7.

所以有，在只樣物有拍擊着。一撮後生個居X lo。

Therefore, this was a blow to us. All these young people here (?).

naŋ⁵⁵ ke³³ tʰeŋ⁵⁵ tsʰu⁵² lai²⁵ m¹¹ si²⁵ tã⁵² eŋ³³ gɯ⁵² tsu¹¹ si¹¹ tã⁵² hua¹¹ gɯ⁵² / m¹¹ si¹¹ eŋ³³ gɯ⁵² tsu¹¹ si¹¹ hua¹¹ gɯ⁵²

Nang5 gê1têng5 cu3(2)lai6 m6(7)si6(7) dan3(2) Êng1ghe2 zu7si6(7) dan3(2) Hua5(7)ghe2, m6(7)si6(7) Êng1ghe2 zu7si6(7) Hua5(7)ghe2.

儂家庭處內唔是呾英語就是呾華語，唔是英語就是華語。

These people speak either English or Mandarin at home.

so²⁵ ĩ⁵² tsu¹¹ pi⁵² tsoh² tsi⁵² tsʰoʔ² huaŋ³³ ŋaŋ⁵⁵ kai¹¹ hi⁵⁵ kiaʔ⁵ tsu¹¹ a³³ ne³³ mok² loʔ² / a³³ ne³³ mok² loʔ² / tsu¹¹ si¹¹ tsau¹¹ tsiu²⁵ kiŋ³³ dzik⁵ tsi⁵² sẽ³³ lo¹¹

So2(6)in2 zu7 bi3(2)zoh4 zi2-coh4 huang1ngang5-gai7 hi3(5)giah8 zu7 a1nê1 mog8(4)loh4, a1nê1 mog8(4)loh4, zu7si6(7) zao6(7)ziu6 ging1rig8 zi2-sên1 lo7.

所以就俾作只撮方言個戲劇就按呢沒落，按呢沒落，就是造就經日只生 lo。

So it becomes the case that these dialect operas die off like this, creating the situation that we have today.

[1:25]

L: (M) Hǎoxiàng “Jiǎng Huáyǔ Yùndòng” chúle zài guānzhòng fāngmiàn yǒu yǐngxiǎng yǐwài, hǎoxiàng duì yǎnyuán,

賴：【華】好像「講華語運動」除了在觀眾方面有影響以外，好像對演員，

L: It seems that the “Speak Mandarin Campaign”, aside from affecting the audiences,

hǎoxiàng nín suǒ zhǎo jìnlái de yǎnyuán děngděng, huìbuhùi yǒu yǐngxiǎng ne?

好像您所找進來的演員等等，會不會有影響呢？

also appeared to affect the actors, such as in recruiting new actors and so on, did it affect you?

C: (T) oi²⁵ no¹¹ / oi²⁵ no¹¹ / u¹¹ ĩã²⁵ hiaŋ⁵² no¹¹

C: (T) Oi6 no7, oi6 no7, u6(7) ian2(6)hiang2 no7.

蔡：【潮】會𰇇，會𰇇，有影響𰇇。

It does, it does have an influence.

no7 – Sentence-final particle, often written with the character 𰇇.

i³³ u¹¹ tsek² tsʰoʔ² lo²⁵ tie¹¹ tsiu³³ ue¹¹ lo²⁵ tã²¹³ bo¹¹ miʔ² si⁵² pik² / tsio⁵² sẽ³³

I1 u6(7) zêg8(4)coh4 lo6 Diê5(7)ziu1-uê7 lo6 dan3 bho5(7)mih4 si3(2)big4, zio2-sen1.

伊有一撮囉潮州話囉呾無乜勢必，照生，

Among them are many that that don’t speak Teochew confidently, it’s like this.

lieu⁵² to¹¹ tsi⁵² ek⁵ dzi¹¹ tsap² ni¹¹ lai⁵⁵ / lɯ⁵² ãĩ⁵² tsʰue¹¹ siŋ³³ seŋ³³ lai⁵⁵ a³³ bo⁵⁵

Liêu2 do6(7) zi2 êg4(8)-, ri6(7)zab8(4) ni5(7) lai5, le2 ain3(2) cuê7 sing1sêng1 lai5 a1 bho5.

了在只一二十年來，汝愛揣新生來也無。

In ten, twenty years’ time, you couldn’t find new blood even if you wanted to.

tsʰue¹¹ i³³ tsap² gua¹¹ hue²¹³ kai¹¹ nou³³ kĩã⁵² lai¹¹ tsʰam³³ kia³³ lai⁵⁵ / tsoʔ² tui²¹³ bo¹¹ kai¹¹ tsu¹¹ tioʔ² la / bo¹¹ piaŋ⁵² u²⁵

Cuê7 i1 zab8(4)ghua7huê3-gai7 nou1gian2 lai5(7) cam1gia1 lai5, zoh8(4)dui3 bho5(7) gai5(7) zu7 dioh4 la, bho5(7)biang3(2) u6.

揣伊十外歲個奴仔來參加來，絕對無個就着 la，無變有。

To find a child aged about ten to join (the troupe), that’s an impossibility, there aren’t any.

so²⁵ ĩ⁵² tsĩã⁵² u¹¹ tsau¹¹ tsiu²⁵ ua⁵² kim³³ ai¹¹ dzik⁵ tsʰoʔ⁵ iŋ¹¹ uaŋ⁵⁵ kʰũã³³ ne¹¹ lau²⁵ / kʰũã³³ ne¹¹ lau²⁵ lieu¹¹

So2(6)in2 zian2 u6(7) zao6(7)ziu6 ua2 gim1-ai7-rig8 coh4(8) ing5(7)uang5 kuan1nê7 lao6, kuan1nê7 lao6 liêu7.

所以正有造就我今仔日撮演員寬呢老，寬呢老了。

As a result, today, our group of actors are slowly getting older and older.

khuan1 寬 – slowly, gradually, also *khuan1 khuan1.

hau¹¹ sẽ³³ kai¹¹ bo⁵⁵ / tsʰẽ³³ ŋ⁵⁵ puk⁵ tsiʔ² lieu¹¹ / tsu¹¹ tsio⁵² sẽ³³

Hao6(7)sên1-gai7 bho5, cên1ng5-bug4(8)zih4 liêu7, zu7 zio2-sên1.

後生個無，青黃不接了，就照生。

If there are no young people, then we become stretched too thin, it’s like this.

cên1ng5-bug4(8)zih4 青黃不接 – An idiom meaning that the work cannot be done with the workers available: “the yellow autumn crop does not last until the green spring crop.”

[2:17]

L: (M) Yǐ xiànzài de qíngkuàng lái-shuō, hǎoxiàng shuō néng shuō Cháozhōuhuà de rén yuèláiyuèshǎo,

賴：【華】以現在的情況來說，好像說能說潮州話的人越來越少，

L: Using today’s situation as the basis, it seems that fewer and fewer people can speak Teochew.

yīnwèi yǎnxì qíshí yǒu shíhòu bùdān zhǐshì yǔyán de wèntí, yě bāokuò biǎoyǎn, dòngzuò gēn chàng,

因為演戲其實有時候不單只是語言的問題，也包括表演、動作跟唱，

In opera, the issue is not only speech, but also performance, movement, and singing.

suǒyǐ zhèxiē dōngxī kěbukěyǐ yǐ míbǔ yǔyán shàngmiàn de zǔ’ài?

所以這些東西可不可以以彌補語言上面的阻礙？

So can these things make up in some way for the difficulties of language?

C: (T) lɯ⁵² siŋ³³ kai¹¹ iŋ¹¹ uaŋ⁵⁵ tou³³ bo⁵⁵ lieu¹¹ a³³ / siŋ³³ kai¹¹ iŋ¹¹ uaŋ⁵⁵ tsʰuaŋ¹¹ pou²⁵ bo⁵⁵ lieu¹¹ / X kʰi³³ hu³³ u¹¹ tɯŋ²⁵ kʰɯ²¹³ lieu¹¹

C: (T) Le2 sing1-gai7 ing5(7)uang5 dou1 bho5-liêu7 a1. Sing1-gai7 ing5(7)uang5 cuang6(7)bou6 bho5-liêu7, X ki1hu1 u6(7) deng6-ke3 liêu7.

蔡：【潮】汝新個演員都無了 a。新個演員全部無了，？幾乎有斷去了。

You don’t have any new actors, there are none, the line has been broken.

lieu⁵² tsʰuŋ⁵⁵ u¹¹ tsʰoʔ² lau²⁵ kai¹¹ a³³ ne³³ to²⁵ ko²¹³ ke³³ nia²¹³ lo

Liêu2 cung5 u6(7) coh4 lao6-gai7 a1nê1 do6-go3 gê1 nia3 lo.

了存有撮老個按呢在塊 X 爾 lo。

So there are only those old ones left behind.

lieu²⁵ lɯ⁵² / ia¹¹ bo¹¹ beŋ⁵² tã²¹³ kʰɯ⁵² tso⁵² ni¹¹ mueʔ⁵ kʰɯ⁵² ni²⁵ pou⁵²

Liêu2(6) le2… ia7 bho5(7)bêng2 dan3 ke3(2) zo3(2)ni5(7)muêh8 ke3(2) ni2(6)bou2.

了汝⋯⋯ 亦無［變］呾去做呢物去彌補。

There’s no way to make up for something like that.

tsi⁵² u²⁵ tsu¹¹ naŋ⁵² tsi²⁵ tsuŋ³³ tsu¹¹ tsi²⁵ u¹¹ tsi²⁵ tsʰoʔ² lau²⁵ kai¹¹ / i³³ se³³ tsu³³ i³³ kai¹¹ ue¹¹ tsʰiaŋ⁵⁵ lieu⁵² i³³ kai¹¹ kʰĩõ³³ tsau⁵² kʰɯ²¹³ la³³

Zi2-u6 zu7 dan3(2) nang2 zi2(6)zung1 zu7 zi2(6)u6(7) zi2(6)coh4 lao6-gai7, i1 se1zu1 i1-gai7 uê7 ciang3(5)-liêu2 i1-gai7 kion1 zao2-ke3 la1.

只有就呾俺只陣就只有只撮老個，伊 XX 伊個話唱了伊個腔走去 la。

The only thing is that, we only have these old ones. Their singing might be off key,

ue¹¹ tã⁵² lieu⁵² boi¹¹ ŋap² boi¹¹ haʔ² tie¹¹ tsiu³³ ue¹¹ la³³ / boi¹¹ haʔ² tie¹¹ tsiu³³ kai¹¹ gɯ²⁵ kʰĩõ³³ la³³

Uê7 dan3(2)-liêu2 bhoi6(7) ngab4 bhoi6(7) hah8(4) Diê5(7)ziu1-uê7 la1, bhoi6(7) hah8(4) Diê5(7)ziu1-gai7 ghe2(6)kion1 la1.

話呾了袂X 袂合潮州話 la，袂合潮州個語腔 la。

or their pronunciation may not be correct, may not be in the Teochew way.

naŋ⁵² tsiu¹¹ tioʔ² ãĩ⁵² kaʔ² i³³ koi²⁵ sek²

Nang2 ziu7 dioh4 ain3(2) gah4 i1 goi2(6)sêg4.

俺就着愛佮伊解釋。

We would have to explain it to them.

so²⁵ ĩ⁵² tsu¹¹ / ua⁵² pi²⁵ [?] lɯ⁵² tʰĩã³³ / naŋ⁵² kai¹¹ tie¹¹ tsiu³³ ue¹¹ u¹¹ tsie⁵² sẽ³³ / hua¹¹ gɯ⁵² hã¹¹ tsie⁵² sẽ³³ / hok⁵ kieŋ¹¹ hã¹¹ tsie⁵² sẽ³³

So2(6)in2 zu7, ua2 bi2(6)-[?] le2 tian1, nang2-gai7 Diê5(7)ziu1-uê7 u6(7) ziê3(2)sên1, Hua5(7)ghe2 han7 ziê3(2)sên1, Hog4(8)giêng6(7) han7 ziê3(2)sên1…

所以就，我比X 汝聽，俺個潮州話有照生、華語～照生、福建～照生⋯⋯

So, let me give an example, of how our Teochew language has one manner, Mandarin has another, Hokkien has another…

[?] tsu¹¹ tsi⁵² kai¹¹ peʔ⁵ dzi¹¹ lai¹¹ tã²¹³ / peʔ² sek² / aŋ¹¹ sek¹

[?] zu7 zi2gai7 “bêh8” ri7 lai5(7) dan3, “bêh8(4)sêg4”, “ang5(7)sêg4”.

？就只個「白」字來呾，「白色」、「紅色」。

Let’s say this word “bêh8” (white), “bêh8(4)sêg4” (white), “ang5(7)sêg4” (red).

tsi⁵² kai¹¹ dzi¹¹ si¹¹ peʔ⁵ dzi¹¹ ma³³ / i³³ iŋ³³ ui¹¹ e¹¹ pou²⁵ u¹¹ ke¹¹ tsek² kai¹¹ sek² dzi¹¹ / so²⁵ ĩ⁵² tsi⁵² kai¹¹ dzi¹¹ tsiu¹¹ pi⁵² tsoʔ² peʔ² sek² / tã⁵² tieʔ² ãĩ⁵² tã⁵² tseʔ⁵ im³³ lieu⁵²

Zi2gai7 ri7 si7 “bêh8” ri7 ma1, i1 ing1ui5(7) ê6(7)bou6 u6(7) gê1 zêg8(4)gai5(7) “sêg4” ri7, so2(6)in2 zi2gai5(7) ri7 ziu7 bi2-zoh4 “bêh8(4)sêg4”, dan3(2) diêh4 ain3(2) dan3(2) zêh4(8)im1 liêu2.

只個字是「白⁸」字 ma，伊因為下部有加一個「色」字，所以只個字就俾作「白⁴色」，呾着愛呾仄音了。

The word is “bêh8”, but because it is followed by “sêg4”, its tone has to be “bêh8(4)sêg4”, the tone has to be changed.

zêh4(8)im1 仄音 –In the traditional classification of tones into level, rising, departing, and entering (平上去入, see Pronunciation), zêh-im (“slanted tones”) are simply all of those that are not level tones.

aŋ⁵⁵ / lɯ⁵² tã⁵² tũã³³ kai¹¹ im³³ / aŋ⁵⁵ / lieu⁵² i³³ u¹¹ tsek² tsʰoʔ⁵ iŋ¹¹ uaŋ⁵⁵ i³³ boi¹¹ hieu⁵²

“Ang5”, le2 dan3(2) duan1-gai5(7) im1, ang5. Liêu2 i1 u6(7) zêg8(4)coh4(8) ing5(7)uang5 i1 bhoi6(7)hiêu2.

「紅⁵」，汝呾單個音，「紅⁵」。了伊有一撮演員伊袂曉。

“Red” if said by itself is “ang5”. But there are some actors who don’t understand this.

i³³ tsʰuk⁵ pẽ⁵⁵ lai¹¹ tã⁵² kai¹¹ aŋ⁵⁵ sek² lai¹¹ tã²¹³ / eŋ³³ kai³³ si¹¹ aŋ¹¹ sek² / tseʔ⁵ im³³ / aŋ¹¹ sek²

I1 cug4(8)bên5 lai5(7) dan3(2) gai5(7) “ang5sêg4” lai5(7) dan3, êng1gai1 si6(7) “ang5(7)sêg4”, zêh4(8)im1, “ang5(7)sêg4”.

伊出棚來呾個「紅⁵色」來呾，應該是「紅⁷色」，仄音，「紅⁷色」。

When they come on stage they say “ang5sêg4”, but it should be “ang5(7)sêg4”, the tone changes to “ang5(7)sêg4”.

Chua is explaining tone change in Teochew, how the citation tones of bêh8 and ang5 become bêh4 and ang7 respectively when used in compound words.

i³³ tsʰuk⁵ pẽ⁵⁵ boi¹¹ hiau⁵² i³³ … kʰoiʔ² i³³ tã⁵² kio⁵² aŋ⁵⁵ sek² / tsu¹¹ boi¹¹ haʔ⁵ / naŋ⁵² tsiu¹¹ kaʔ² i³³ koi²⁵ tsĩã⁵² tsek² e¹¹ lo³³ / kaʔ² i³³ tã⁵² e¹¹ / tie¹¹ tsiu³³ ue¹¹ si¹¹ kai³³ tsie⁵² tã²¹³ / tsie⁵² tã²¹³

I1 cug4(8)bên5 bhoi6(7)hiao2 i1 … koih4 i1 dan3(2) gio3(2) “ang5sêg4”, zu7 bhoi6(7)hah8, nang2 ziu7 gah4 i1 goi2(6)zian2 zêg8(4)ê6(7) lo1, gah4 i1 dan3(2) ê7, “Diê5(7)ziu1-uê7 si6(7) gai1 ziê3(2) dan3, ziê3(2) dan3.”

伊出棚袂曉伊⋯⋯ 乞伊呾叫「紅⁵色」，就袂合，俺就佮伊改正一下 lo，佮伊呾 e：「潮州話是該照呾，照呾。」

They don’t know this and say “ang5”, which is incorrect, so we have to correct them, explain it to them, to say, “this is how it should be said in Teochew.”

tsi²⁵ tsu¹¹ aŋ³³ kio⁵² tsek² kai¹¹ tsek² liaŋ¹¹ no¹¹ liaŋ⁵⁵ loʔ⁵ lai¹¹ tsi⁵² kai¹¹ dzi¹¹ / naŋ⁵² tie¹¹ tsiu³³ ue¹¹

Zi2(6)zu7 ang1 gio3(2) zêg8(4)gai5(7) “zêg8(4)liang5(7)-no6(7)liang5” loh4(8)lai5(7) zi2gai5(7) ri7, nang2 Diê5(7)ziu1-uê7…

只就安叫一個「一連兩連」落來只個字，俺潮州話⋯⋯

Another example is the word [liang] in “tsikliang, norliang”, in Teochew…

hua¹¹ gɯ⁵² si¹¹ tʰak² ljɛn²⁵ / aŋ³³ kio⁵⁵ hĩã¹¹ ioŋ¹¹ tsiu³³ kai¹¹ mia⁵⁵ / uaŋ⁵² tie¹¹ tsiu³³ tsiu¹¹ tʰak² tsoʔ⁵ hĩã¹¹ ioŋ¹¹ tsiu³³ / boi¹¹ tek² tʰak² tsoʔ⁵ liaŋ¹¹ ĩã¹¹ tsiu³³

Hua5(7)ghe2 si6(7) tag8(4) “lián”, ang1 gio3(5) “Hian5(7) Iong5(7)ziu1” gai7 mia5, uang2 Diê5(7)ziu1 ziu7 tag8(4)-zoh4(8) “Hian5(7) Iong5(7)ziu1”, bhoi6(7)dêg4 tag8(4)zoh4(8) “Liang5(7) Ian5(7)ziu1”!

華語是讀 lián, 安叫連瀛洲個名，阮潮州就讀作 Hian Iong-ziu，袂得讀作 Liang Ian-ziu!

In Mandarin it’s pronounced lián, like in the name of Lien Ying Chow, we Teochew would say “Hian Iong-ziu”, not “Liang Ian-ziu”!

Lien Ying Chow 連瀛洲 (1906–2004) was the founder of the Overseas Union Bank, which was subsequently acquired by the United Overseas Bank. The OUB was one of the largest banks in Singapore. The character 連 is usually pronounced liang5 or liêng5, but when used as a surname should be pronounced hian5. The character 瀛 in his name, which is pronounced iong5, resembles the character 贏 (meaning “to win”) which is pronounced ian5.

i³³ naŋ¹¹ boi¹¹ hiau⁵² tsiu¹¹ kʰoiʔ² i³³ tʰak² tsoʔ⁵ liaŋ¹¹ ĩã¹¹ tsiu³³ / i³³ kai¹¹ ioŋ⁵⁵ dzi¹¹ tsu¹¹ kʰoiʔ² i³³ tʰak² tsoʔ⁵ ĩã⁵⁵ tsʰuk² lai¹¹ la³³

I1-nang5(7) bhoi6(7)hiao2 ziu7 koih4-i1 tag8(4)zoh4(8) “Liang5(7) Ian5(7)ziu1”, i1-gai7 “iong5” ri7 zu7 koih4-i1 tag8(4)zoh4(8) “ian5” cug8(4)lai5(7) la1.

伊儂袂曉就乞伊讀作 Liang Ian-ziu，伊個「瀛」字就乞伊讀作 ian 出來 la。

They don’t know this and say “Liang Ian-ziu”, they misread the word “iong” as “ian”.

aŋ³³ kio⁵⁵ tsʰi¹¹ … a³³ ioŋ¹¹ tseŋ²¹³ a³³ ne¹¹ kai¹¹ / tsʰiŋ¹¹ si²⁵ uaŋ⁵⁵ i³³ kai¹¹ ioŋ⁵⁵ dzi¹¹ / naŋ⁵² kʰoiʔ² i³³ tʰak² tsoʔ² …

Ang1 gio3(5) ci7… a1 Iong5(7)zêng3 a1-nê7 gai7, Cing5(7)-si2(6)uang5 i1-gai7 “iong5” ri7, nang2 koih4-i1 tag8(4)zoh4…

安叫 ⋯⋯ a 嬴政按呢個，秦始皇伊個「贏」字，儂乞伊讀作⋯⋯

Another example is… Iong-tseng, the first Qin Emperor, they read the “iong” as “iar”,

m¹¹ pak² tsiu¹¹ kʰoiʔ² i³³ tʰak² tsoʔ⁵ ĩã⁵⁵ / i³³ kai¹¹ dzi¹¹ tsu¹¹ si¹¹ ioŋ⁵⁵ dzi¹¹ ma³³ / tsʰiŋ¹¹ ioŋ¹¹ tseŋ²¹³ / ma¹¹ / ho³³

m6(7)bag4 ziu6(7) koih4-i1 tag8(4)zoh4(8) “ian5”, i1-gai7 ri7 zu7 si6(7) “iong5” ri7, ma1. Cing5(7)-iong5(7)zêng3, ma7, ho1.

唔捌就乞伊讀作 ian，伊個字就是 iong 字，ma。秦贏政，ma，ho。

If they don’t recognize it, they read it as “iar”, but it should be “iong” here: Tshing Iong-tseng, right?

naŋ⁵² tsiu¹¹ kʰoiʔ² i³³ koi²⁵ tsĩã²¹³ / naŋ⁵² oi¹¹ sai⁵² / naŋ⁵² tsiu¹¹ kaʔ² i³³ koi²⁵ tsĩã²¹³

Nang2 ziu6(7) koih4-i1 goi2(6)zian3, nang2 oi6(7)sai2, nang2 ziu6(7) gah4-i1 goi2(6)zian3.

俺就乞伊改正，俺會曉，俺就佮伊改正。

We then have to correct them, because we know this, we have to correct them.