345. Many verbs are used as prepositions. They are 從 zóng, 由 { y}eu, 到 tau‘, 連 líe{ n}, 朝 zau, 望 mong‘, 對 té‘, 上 ’zong, 下 ’{ h}au. Examples of both uses are given.
由儂末哉 { y}eu nóng‘ meh tsé‘, { it will be as you decide}. 由那裏一條路 { y}eu ’{ á} ’lí ih diau lú‘, { by which way?} 字眼要連下來 zz‘ ’nga{ n} yau‘ líe{ n} ’{ a}u lé, { words and expressions should be connected}. 紙頭連筆全勿有 ’tsz deu líe{ n} pih dzé{ n} veh ’{ y}eu, { paper and pencil are both wanting}.
{ Adverb as Substantive}. 346. Adverbs of time and place precede substantives with 個 kú‘, just as one substantive precedes another.
此地個百姓 ’t’sz dí‘ kú‘ pák sing‘, { people of this place}. 什蓋能個人 { s}eh ké‘ nung kú‘ niun, { people of that sort}. 明朝個事體測度勿出 ming tsau kú‘ zz‘ ’t’i t’suh doh veh t’seh, { the things of to-morrow cannot be known by thinking}.
Obs.先 síe{ n}, is an adverb in síe{ n} yau‘ ’tsung ’tung ’hau, 先要整頓 好, { you must first make preparations}, and an adjective in 出世最先 t’seh sz‘ tsûe‘ síe{ n}, { he was born very early}.
347. When the adverbs take case particles, they must be regarded as substantives.
轎子拉前頭 { k}iau‘ ’tsz ’lá zíe{ n} deu, { the chair is before}.
{ Adverb as Adjective}. 348. The derivative adverbs like the pure adjectives, form the predicate of a proposition.
人是好好能個 niun ’zz ’hau ’hau nung kú‘, { the man is good}.
做私底下個事體 tsú‘ sz ’tí ’{ á}u kú‘ zz‘ ’t’í, { to do underhand things}.
{ Adjective as Adverb}. 349. Some adjectives precede verbs, and must in such cases be regarded as adverbs.
多話兩句 tú { w}ó‘ ’liáng kü‘, { say a few sentences more}. 好聽來些 ’hau t’ing lé, { very pleasant to hear}. 酒要少吃 ’tsieu yau‘ ’sau k’iuk, { drink sparingly of wine}. 好走進去 ’hau ’tseu tsing‘ k’í‘, { you are quite at liberty to enter}.
Obs. 前 zíe{ n} is an adjective in 前門 zíe{ n} mun, { the front door}; a post-position in 門前 mun zíe{ n}, { before the door}: and an adverb in 前兩日 zíe{ n} ’liáng nyih, { a few days ago}: 大 is usually an adjective, but in 大兩樣個 { t}ú‘ ’liáng { y}áng‘ kú‘, { very different} and in 勿大哩 興 veh dá‘ ’lí h’iung‘, { not very crowded}, it is an adverb.
{ Postposition as Adjective}. 350. When the locative case particles 外 ngá‘, 上 ’zong, 下 ’{ h}au, 前 zíe{ n}, 後 ’{ h}eu, precede their words, they are adjectives. When they follow them, they are postpositions.
外國 ngá‘ kóh, { foreign nations}. 城外 zung ngá‘, { outside the city}. 下手 ’{ h}au ’seu, { an under workman}. 手下 ’seu ’{ a}u, 手底下 ’seu ’tí ’{ a}u, { another’s authority}. 後門 ’{ h}eu mun, { back door}. 飯後 va{ n}‘ ’{ h}eu, { after breakfast}.