102
K. M. A. BARNETT
All these relationships can, of course, be clearly expressed in Cantonese. But before we turn to Cantonese let me observe that English finds it natural to record the status of one of the agents but not the other. By saying "my boots" instead of "the boots" we convey, don't we, the gratuitous information that it's not my job to clean boots. We don't feel it necessary to include this information about the bearer of the letter.
In Chinese it's the other way round. The most natural way to render the first sentence
"When he brought the letter I had cleaned my boots”
is
NGROR CAATJRYNN XRAAY KREOE ZI PAAISEON
LRAY10
This does not tell whether the shoes are my own or someone else's, but it tells you that he's the postman delivering letters on a regular schedule.
NGROR CAATJRYNN XRAAY KREOE ZI DRAISEON
LRAY11
This tells you that he's a member of my own staff or household.
NGROR CAATJRYNN XRAAY KREOE ZI SUNGSEON
LRAY12
This tells you that he's a member of the staff or household of whoever sent the letter.
NGROR CAATJRYNN XRAAY KREOE ZI GHAAWSEON
LRAY13
This tells you that the writer of the letter brought it himself. In matters of fetching and carrying Cantonese is particularly pernickety. Whereas English focuses on the direction, e.g.:
FETCH (i.e. to go somewhere and bring something back)
TAKE (i.e. to go and leave it there)
BRING (i.e. to come with it)
CARRY (i.e. neither specially to bring, take or fetch)
10 我擦完鞋佢至派信嚟
11 我擦完鞋佢至遞信嚟
12 我擦完鞋佢至送信嚟
13 我擦完鞋佢至交信嚟