A NEW LOOK AT CANTONESE EXPLETIVES
M-W (OM) Character
Basic Meaning
121
SOAS
準備 ZEORNBREI CHUN-PEI
immediate intention
將近 ZHEONQGRAN TSEUNG-KÂN
near future
將來 ZHEONQLROY TSEUNG-LOI
remoter future
再 ZOI TSOI
就 ZOR CHOH "FA ZRAU TSAO
就嚟 ZRAULRAY TSAO-LAI
住 ZRY CHUÊ
LÀ
repetition or continuation
completion
subjunctive
immediate future
continuation
PARADIGMS
Serial Analysis
SOAS
1 AEIOU ZROU
2 AEJO U XOOCRIR-ZROU
3 AEJO U XOOCRIR-MRHZROU
4 AEJO U XOOCRIR-MREIZROU
5 AEJO X (WRUU) SHEONQ-ZROU
6 AEJO X (WRUU) SHEONQ-MRHZROU
7 AEKO U WRAAK (ZEAR)-ZROU
8 AEKO U WRAAK (ZEAR)-MRHZROU
9 AEKO U WRAAK (ZEAR)-MREIZROU
10 AEK SU (CREOY) FHEY-ZOO (ZRAU)
Approximate English equivalent
Inf: to do. Indic: intends to do, tries to do, do, does, did, will do, be done.
Imper: do! let's do! Subj: if one does, etc. apparently do or have done to.
apparently are not doing (being done) or about to (be) done.
apparently will shortly do (be done) or have not done (had done to), do to each other. refrain from doing to each other.
may have (been) done, may be doing (having done to), may be about to do (be done).
may not be doing (being done to) or about to do (be done).
may be about to do (be done) or may not have (been) done.
unless I do it, unless it be done.
11 AEK SU (CREOY) FHEY-MRHZROU (ZRAU)
12 AEM RV ZROU-LHA
13 AEM S V CEARNG-ZROU
unless I do not do it, unless it be left undone. (N.B. There is an idiomatic elliptical use here: "It might be best not to do it.")
do!
please do.