PIDGIN ENGLISH:
The average Englishman who is only ac- quainted with this humorous jargon from the clever impersonations of Chinamen by Mr. Houtley Wright and others of our leading musical comedy actors, will scarcely credit the fact that "pidgin English" is a language of its own used by hundreds of our fellow-countrymen and other “foreign deyils " as a medium through which to transact business with the wily reles tial in the treaty ports of China. Yet it is so, and a study, of its expressions, and the derivations thereof is both interesting and amusing.
"Pidgin" means "business," hence the term “pidgie English” of" business English.* How this particular word came into vogue is an utter mystery, no plausible derivation being possible.
"CHOP CHOP-HURRY UP"
|
THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1902.
is "no," never not.” When she calls on a Tady in China the "boy" answers the bell and you demand "Missisee have got ?».
to which
he either replies "have get or ") 'no' got" meaning in up to date English * at home,” or not at home, though he occasionally varies the no got" by "have go out." Ladies, no doubt, can fully appreciate the subtle difference of the two phrases. The words "who?" "what ?""bow?" are never used by themselves, but are always qualified as " who man?"" what thing?" "how. fashion ?" "Fashion" means “kind" or "sort." For the degrees of comparison "more" invariably forms the comparative, while the expression "number one" is as much of a superlative as phlegmatic Chinese mind can arrive at ; " more better" "more large," "more cheap" and "number one good,” “number one cheap" are familiar examples.
A missionary is described as a
“JOSS, PIDGIN MAN,"
a joss being a Chinese god, and a bishop as a number one topside jocs pidgin man." One wonders if an archbishop came along what title he would obtain in “pidgin English."
Some of the quaintést expressions in this extraordinary language are:-"catch-get or obtain," "can do-all right,” “must no can do impossible," "pay-give," "topside. downside upstairs, downstairs," also used for Paradise and Hades. "Putter book-settle," "chance
and bobbery angry are other, "common" expressions which are incapable of having their origin traced to any known language, save perhaps that mysterious tongue in which mothers are wont to address their babes. Some of the words used are naturally Chinese, as "man, man-wait a bit, chow chow food" and "chin chin-greeting." always duplicated; while others come from foreign languages, as “maske never mind" from the Portuguese, "savvy-know" from the French and "kumsha-a present" from the Japanese. Again we find two or three-profit," "two pieces man" "puttee soup," words brought over by the East India mer chants who were the first Westerners to do business in China; notably "godown-ware- house, socalled because the original traders in India had to guard their merchandise by storing it in subterranean vaults and perforce had to go down to get at it, while "chit-a let- ter" and "tiffin-luncheon are from the in- dustani. But, of course, the bulk of the words in use is English though often so grotesquely varied in form and meaning as to be scarcely recognisable. For instance, "cold" and "old" are rendered by "colo" and "old";
O CUSTOM
ΠΟΣΟ
is a very favourite phrase with the conserva- tive Chinaman, and usually his strongest argu- ment against foreign innovations is "no belong olo castom."
"Too" is always used instead of “very," so when a Celestial says "too muchee " he means "very much." Thus, on seeing the members of the Municipal Council for one of the foreign Settlements come out of their chamber after a prolonged meeting, a Chinamas was beard to remark "Hi Yah I too muchee talkee”. uncon- aciously taking in the exact situation: "Hi Yab!" is a very "frequent exclamation, and made to convey anything from surprise to disgust by the tone in which it is spoken. For the first person “my” is always used, never "I" or "me," while "you" and "he" are the only words ever used respectively for the second and third. The suxiliary verb "to be" is invariably rendered in all its parts by "belong." Once the writer asked a sick Celestial how he felt, and got the reply
"INSIDE BELONG TOO MUCHEE HOT,"
a rather apt description of the effect of a little too free indulgence in the opium pipe.
Another curious technicality of "pidgin English" is the use of the word "so" instead of that" as an adverb. My think so you no wanchee this fashion pidgin is how a China man would say "I don't think that you want this kind of business." The only negative used
СОТТАМ
& CO FOR PANAMA HATS,
SINGER
SEWING
THE STRANDED “ CACHARZ
IN A DANGEROUS POSITION."
Attempts were made at high tide last Wednesday week by the two Tanjong Pagar tugs Sunda and Bangkok to tow the stranded. French transport Cachar off the Batu Barhenti Shoal rocks near Singapore, on which she bas now been lying for the past two days, unsuc cessfully, however, for the vessel refused to
move.
The Cachar is on coral rock from her bows to her bridge and at low water her bow is right out water. It will thus be seen that her position is a dangerous one and in view of the fact it is considered that she cannot be towed off for another four or five days or 30, that is until tides are higher fears may well be entertained for her safety.
A French man-of-war arrived from Saigon the same aftemoon and at once praceeded alongside the stranded transport, so as to be ready to fender assistance. The Singapore Free Press understands that the cargo on board is being removed and that some of the troops are to be transferred to lighten the vessel in an- ticipation of other attempts to tow her off the rock.
It is understood that Government has given permission for the 1,800 troops on board to be
lander on St. John's Island. A wise course would seem to be to transfer the troops to the man-of-war alongside and have them taken back to Saigon, the man-of-war afterwards to return to the Cachar's assistance.
"plenty face-dignified,” “no got face-on- dignified.* “spail'um-break" and "plenty," "Largee," "ittee," "all same," "suppose," "just now," "look see," "must wanched makee LITTLE DUTY FROM PHILIPPINE die," which explain themselves.
In speaking of morning or evening one always says "morning time" or "night time;" "yesterday" is "last day" which is also a Scotch idiom, and similarly "next day" means "to-morrow." - "Any time" is their peculiar rendering of "always" while "never" is translated by "any time no." The name of a place, too, is always followed by "side" as "home side," which from frequent intercourse with foreigners a Chinaman calls Europe, or "Japan side." When you start to go anywhere you “walked,” whether you are going by road, rail or sea. It sounds funny to be asked
"WHAT TIME THAT SHIP CAN WALKEE?" "Can" is used in this sense as expressing the future tense which is always formed in this way, as is the past by substituting "have." A Celestial calls a wild duck a "flyaway duck" while be describes the domestic variety as a "walkee walkee duck" The Chinese "boy," as one's personal servant is dubbed in the Far East, often expresses himself in an extremely curious manner. Once, in a bachelor's mess, A large crab, a great delicacy, appeared on a dinner table but with only one claw. As the claws are the tit bits one of the diners pointed out this defect to the boy, who replied "my look see before time makee boil that elab no got other hand!" A China- man can never pronounce an r and nearly always takes refuge in the letter 1.
in
Although the "pidgin English" vocabulary is necessarily a very limited one the cute Celestial is seldom at a loss for a word, and contrary to this custom when speaking his own flowery language usually manages to ex- press himself both succinctly and laconically, a habit, which, unfortunately, his Western con temporaries do not always share with him.- M-C. Daily News.
COTTAM
MACHINES
IF YOU BUY A
SINGER
OTTAM & CO. FOR SIN HATS.
GOODS.
FIVE MONTHS' REVENUE ONLY $11,000.
Washington, September 1st. Surprising results have followed the compila- lion of tariff returns on goods imported from the Philippines during the first five months of the operation of the Philippine tariff act, approved March 8th last. Under that act 75 per cent. of the Dingley rates were to be collected on Philippine imports into the United States, and this was to be held as a trust fund in the Trea. sury of the United States.
Although when the act was published, it was realized that the imposition of any duties of this kind would be restrictive of trade, it was argued that the total would be somewhere in the neighbourhood of $500,000 per annum, that consideration outweighing the drawbacks of maintaining a tariff system against the Philip- pines.
The returns just published in the Treasury show that the total receipts-for--the first five months of March, April, May, June and July were hut $11,194, a sem so small in the opinion of the officials as to scarcely meet the cast of collection. Moreover, the returns by months do not show any increase, but rather a decrease, in the collections. These facts will be brought to the attention of Con- gress at its next session.
THE UNKNOWN OCEAN-The Aftongladt says that the steamer Antarctic, bearing the Nordenskjold Antarctic expedition, returned to the Falkland islands July 4th, after having obtained the most satisfactory results. The great unknown o can to the south of Georgia islands was scientifically examined and large zoological collections have been made. The maximum depth measured was about 19,600 feet.
"OTTAM & CO., FOR TRESS'S STRAW
and FELT HATS
STONES THROWN AT THE
CHINESE MINISTER.
Binghamton (N. V.), September 1.—Among his many strange experiences in this country, Minister Wu Ting Fang can number that of being attacked in a rapidly moving passenger train by unknown persons. Minister Wu had accepted an invitation to speak in the city at a meeting of workingmen, and left Newark, N. J., last night under the escort of a labour leader, for this city. As he passed through. the coal region a heavy stone crashed through the window of his coach, showering glass around the head of the Oriental diplomat. The stone was almost instantly followed by a larger que through another window, and then the train was out of range. The Minister was not frightened, but extremely curious as to the custom of greeting guests in this manner. De was told that it was probably the work of some, of the strikers, who were opposed to the labour organizations entertaining a representative of the Celestial empire in any form.
To be Let.
TO LET. OUSES in CLIFTON GARDENS, Con-
HOUT ROAD.
•
GODOWNS at BOWRINGTON, Praya East. HOUSES at CAUSEWAY BAY, facing the
Polo Ground.
"THE RETREAT"-MT. KELLETT, No. 2, RIPON TERRACE..
Apply in
THE HONGKONG LAND INVEST. MENT & AGENCY CO., LD.
2
Hongkong, 17th September
Intimations.
HONGKONG SUBSCRIPTION
LIBRARY.
18, Bank Buildings, Wyndham Street. FOUNDED in 1891, by Dr. CANTLIE,
and conducted for several years by H.E. POLLOCK, ESQ., K.C.
г
TRUSTEES:
HON. J. H. STEWART LOCKHART, C.M.G., HON. R. SHEWAN, G. B. DODWELL, ESQ.
SUBSCRIPTIONS-Payable in Advance.
$7.50.
or
Jhaus.
NIPPON YUSEN KAISHA. (THE JAPAN MAIL STEAMSHIP COMPANY.)
PROJECTED SAILINGS FROM HONGKONG-SUBJECT TO ALTERATION,
STEAMERS.
Awa Maru
N. Trenat KUMANO MARU
E. W. Haswell SHINANO MARU*......
M. J. Curnow.... MIKE MARU WAKASA MARU.. M. Yagi
J. B. Macmillan... HIROSHIMA MARU.......
T. Murai.... İDZUMI MARU
F. W. Horton.....
KAMAKURA MARU
H. Petersen
DESTINATIONS.
SAILING DATES.
(MARSEILLES, LONDON & ANT-SATURDAY, 4th Oct,
Daylight.
SYDNEY and MELBOURNE, VIA SATURDAY, 4th Oct, at
THURSDAY ISLAND
Noon.
MONDAY, 6th Oct.,
WERP, VIA SINGAPORE, PENANG, COLOMBO and PORT SAID
2.
VICTORIA,. B.C., and SEATTLE,*
U.S.A., VIA SHANGHAL, MOJI, KOBE
KOBE and YOKOHAMA
TUESDAY, 7th Oct,
Noon.
FRIDAY,
10th Oct,
KOBE and YOKOHAMA
and YOKOHAMA .....
(SINGAPORE,
BOMBAY
4 P.M.
Daylight.
COLOMBO and FRIDAY, 10th Oct,
MARSEILLES, LONDON & ANT-SATURDAY. 18th Oct,
a
Nood.
| SINGAPORE 'and BOMBAY,,
FRIDAY, 17th October, at
Noon.
WERP, VIA SINGAPORE, PENANG,
COLOMBO and PORT SAID...
Daylight.
VICTORIA, B.C., and SEATTLE,
H. Christiansen... KANAGAWA MARU
J. Mackenzie
USA, VIA SHANGHAI,MOJI, KOBE MONDAY, 20th
4 P.M.
and YOKOHAMA .......
KOBE and YOKOHAMA
KASUGA MARU.....
H. Fraser .....
FRIDAY, 24th Oct,
Daylight
Noon.
(NAGASAKI, KOBE and YOKO-2 FRIDAY, 24th Oct., at
HAMA
* Through Passenger Tickets and Bills of Lading issued for, the Principal Cities in the United States, Canada and Europe, in connection with the GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY- Atlantic Steamers
and
For further Information as in Freight. Passage, Sailings, &c., apply at the Company's Local Branch Office at Prince's Building, 1st Floor, Chater Road.
COMPAGNIE DES MESSAGERIES!
MARITIMES.
PAQUEROTS-POSTE FRANCAIS.
NOTICE.
STEAM FOR SAIGON, SINGAPORE, BATAVIA, COLOMBO, BOMBAY, ADEN, EGYPT, MARSEILLES, MEDITERRANEAN AND BLACK SEA PORTS, LONDON, HAVRE, BORDEAUX; ALSO PORTS OF BRAZIL AND RIVER PLATE.
MONDAY, the 6th October, 1902.
Passengers, Specic and Cargo, will leave "OCEANIEN," Captain Rimes, with Mails, this Port for MÅKSEILLES, víá BOMBAY.
ON the Company's Steamship
This Steamer connects at COLOMBO with the s.s. Armand Déhit, which vessel takes on
Per Half Year.
$1.40.
.....Per Month. The Library contains, in addition to Fiction, a number of Standard Works on Biography, History, Travels, &c., and Works of Reference; and it is hoped to maintain it up to date.
Subscribers are allowed to take three books at a time.
Intending Subscribers are requested to and Marseilles. apply to
BERNARD LANKESTER,
Hon. Secretary & Treasurer. Hongkong, 13th September, 1902. [14130
SANITARY SOFT
NOTICE.
THE BEST PREVENTIVE OF ALL INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
SOAP.
JEYES
FLUID
SOAP.
ber Passengers and Mails leaving that Part
on the 18th October Direct to Suez, Port Said Cargo and Specie will be registered for Lon don as well as for Marseilles, and accepted in transit through Marseilles for the principal places of Europe.
Shipping Orders will be granted till Noor, Cargo will be received on board until 4 P., Specie and Parcels until 3 PM on the 5th October. (Parcels are not to be sent on board; they must be left at the Agency's Office.) Con- tents and Value of Packages are required.
For further Particulars, apply at the Com pany's Office.
G, DE CHAMPEAUX, Agent. Hongkong, 23rd September, 1902,
[too
NORTHERN PACIFIC STEAMSHIP COMPANY.
AVOID ALL RISK OF OUTBREAK BY BOSTON STEAMSHIP COMPANY.
ITS USE.
W. G. HUMPHREYS & Co., Bank Buildings.
Hanphong, 01% Munch +Rot
MEMORY POINTS ABOUT
SINGER
SEWING
MACHINES
SIMPLE:
STRONG.
SILENT.
SOLD ON INSTALMENTS AND
FOR CASH.
WE make but one grade of product, admitted to be the best; hence attempts at imitation.
Iza
BOSTON TOW-BOAT COMPANY.
PROPOSED SAILINGS FROM HONGKONG,
VIA SHANGHAI, INLAND SEA OF JAPAN, KOBE AND YOKOHAMA, FOR VICTORIA, B.C., AND TACOMA, IN CONNECTION WITH
NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILWAY COMPANY.
Steamers. Captains. Tons. 1902.
Victoria ......J. Panton 3302 Oct. 18 Olympia. Truebridge... 2837 Oct. 14 Pleiades......W. H. Smith... 3753 Oct. 29 Shawmut...
9606 Nov. 7
Steamers marked (*) have no passenger accommodation.
The attention of passengers is directed to the very cheap rates offered by this line to the Pacific Coast and the Interior and Eastern Cities of the United States and to Europe.
Special rates allowed to members of Govern- ment Services.
A. S. MIHARA,
ORIENTAL
Manager.
STEAM
COMP:
THE PENINSULAR AND ORIENTAL STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY.
STEAM FOR STRAITS, CEYLON, AUSTRALIA, INDIA, ADEN, EGYPT, MEDITERRANEAN PORTS, PLYMOUTH AND (Through Bills of Lading issued for BATAVIA, LONDON.
PERSIAN GULF, CONTINENTAL and 9.
AMERICAN PORTS)
THE Steamship
"VALETTA,"
Mails, will be despatched from this for Captain W. B. Palmer, carrying His Majesty's BOMBAY, on SATURDAY, the 7th October, at Neon, taking Passengers and Cargo for the above Parts.
Silk and Valuables, all Carge for France, and Tea for Loudon (under arrangement) will be transhipped at Colombo into a steamer proceeding direct to Marseilles and London other Cargo for London, &c., will be conveyed vid Bombay with Transhipment,
Parcels will be received at this Office until P.M. the day before sailing. The Contents and Value of all Packages are required.
Shippers are particularly requested to note the terms and Conditions of the Company's Bills of Lading.
For further Particulars, apply to
E. A. HEWETT,
Superintendent Hongkong, 27th September, rong,
Intimations.
.NOW READY
THE PAMPHLET ENTITLED: "THE HONGKONG DOCK CO.: ITS
|
PECTS.
HONGKONG FUTURE PROS
Discussed in connection with the proposal for the construction of a New Dock"
PRICE: So cents, cash,
Apply to the
HONGKONG TELEGRAPH
OFFICE; I, ICE HOUSE ROAD. 'Hongkong, 1st October, 1902.
W
NOTICE OF REMOVAL
JE have REMOVED This Day our. Busi ness to ZETLAND STREET, Ño. z.
HEUERMANN, HERBST & CO. Hongkong, 29th September, 1902 [torid
CALIFORNIA AND ORIENTAL STEAM- SHIP COMPANY,
NY OUTSTANDING
ACCOUNTS
Through Bills of Lading issued to Pacific in to the Undersigned on or before the th Aagainst the above Company must be sent Coast Points and to the Principal Cities in the October, 1902, after which no Claims can be United States and Canada.
SPEEDY. Passage, apply to
WE deal directly with the people, through our own employees all over the world, selling 1,000,000 Machines
annually,
YOU get an up-to-date Machine, built on honour, to wear a life-time. YOU get it for the Lowest Price at which such a machine can be furnished, YOU will receive careful instruction from a competent teacher at your home. YOU can obtain necessary accessories direct from the Company's offices.
YOU will get prompt attention in any part of the world; our offices are everywhere, and we give careful attention to all customers, no
matter where their machines may have been purchased.. YOU will be dealing with the leading sewing machine manufacturers in the world, having an unequalled experience and an unrivalled
reputation to maintain the strongest guarantee of excellence and fair dealing
THE SINGER MANUFACTURING COMPANY,
GENERAL
OFFICE FOR CHINA:
18, BANK BUILDINGS, CORNER QUEEN'S ROAD AND WYNDHAM STREET, HONGKONG. BRANCHES IN EVERY CITY IN THE WORLD AND AGENTS IN EVERY TOWN. RETAIL OFFICES: 3A, WYNDHAM STREET, HONGKONG.
84, ELGIN ROAD, KOWLOON,
BUTTERFIELD & SWIRE Hongkong, 24th September, 1902. [997d
For further Information as to Freight or recognised."
DODWELL, & CO., LIMITED,
General Agents. Hongkong, and October, 1902:
(874d
GRIMAULT'S SYRUP
Ox
HYPO-PHOSPHITE of LIME
FOR DIREABER OF THE GHEST
All suffering from Catarrh, Con- sumption, Obstinate Coughs or Golds and those affected with diseases of the Chest, Lungs and Bronchial Tubes, should take
GRINAULT'S STRUP! HYPO-PHOSPHITEMLINE | Prescribed by the leading medical autho- rities in all countries for the last twenty- Ove years with the greatest success, it continues to retain its reputation where all other madacines have failed,'
Grimault's Syrup immediately arrosts the Cough,Spitting of blood and Nights-| weats, and the Appetite improves ra- pidly a fact soon demonstrated by an In- Grease of weight and healthy appearance. Grimauit's Syrup has a rosa colour, and is sold in flat oval bottics. Beware af Imitations.
GRIMAULT & Oo, Paris, feld by'all Chemlata
JUST OPENED. FRESH Consignment of Small and
A Large Battles of BOVRIL
ALSO
A New Consignment of AUSTRALIAN STREAKY BACON,
H. RUTTONJEE, No. 5, D'Aguilar Street, Nos 39 and 40, Elgin Road, Kowloon Hongkong, 2nd October, 1902. [Bord
PEKING AND TIENTSIN TIMES.
DAILY EDITION:
hereby that on about
OCTOBER 19T, 1902, the "PEXING AND TIENTSIN TIMES" will be issued DAILY: as well as WEEKLY.
The Dady Issue will be Crown size of 8 or more Pages with 3 Columns of Printed Matter on each page (about the size of the "Norik China Herald, or Celestial Empire).
TERMS: (Exclusive of Rostage)
Yearly Half-Yearly
Quarterly maimana
Monthly
Per Issue 10 centa.
Tariff of Advertisements on application
HEAD OFFICEPSA THE TIENTSIN PRESS. 26th September, 1908.