A Manchu Grammar

A Manchu Grammar with Analysed Texts (1892)
by Paul Georg von Möllendorff

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359557A Manchu Grammar with Analysed TextsPaul Georg von Möllendorff

A

MANCHU GRAMMAR,

WITH

ANALYSED TEXTS,

BY

P.G. VON MÖLLENDORFF,

Chinese Customs Service.

SHANGHAI:

Printed at the American Presbyterian Mission Press.

1892.

G

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Page.
	Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	v.
I.—Phonology.
1.	Alphabet (Table) Pronunciation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	vi.
2.	Harmony of Vowels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	1
3.	Diphthongs and Triphthongs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	3
4.	Word-changes and Foreign Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	3
II.—Etymology.
1.	Nouns and Adjectives. Terminations. Plural. Case Affixes: i, ni, de, be, ci . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	4
2.	Pronouns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	6
3.	Numerals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	6
4.	Verbs. Derivation. Moods and Tenses. Irregularities. Negation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	8
5.	Adverbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	13
6.	Postpositions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	13
7.	Conjunctions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	13
8.	Interjections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	13
III.—Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		13
	Manchu Texts with Translation and Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	15
	Index of Affixes and Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	51
	Appendix: European Literature treating on Manchu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	53

Introduction

There is as yet no grammar of the Manchu language in English. Wylie’s translation of Tsing Wan Ki Mung (清文啟蒙), Shanghai, 1855, a kind of Manchu hand-book for the use of Chinese, though useful and full of interest, is by no means a grammar.

The general interest taken in every language will, of course, be also extended to Manchu; still a few words seem necessary to show the particular usefulness of its study.

There exist in all about 250 works in Manchu, nearly all of which are translations from the Chinese. They consist of translations from the Classics, some historical and metaphysical works, literary essays, collections of famous writers, novels, poetry, laws and regulations, Imperial edicts, dictionaries, phrase books, etc. Most of these translations are excellent, but they are all literal. Executed under the eyes of intelligent princes, they form a reliable expression of the meaning of the Chinese text and have therefore a right to acceptance equal to that enjoyed by commentaries of good writers. Manchu being infinitely easier to learn than Chinese, these translations are a great help towards obtaining a clear insight into Chinese syntax, and scholars like Stanislas Julien, who owed the remarkable precision in his renderings to his knowledge of Manchu, have repeatedly pointed this out. In a letter addressed to Dr. Legge he alludes to the study of Manchu as being of great assistance in translating the Classics. Dr Legge, however, in the preface to his translation of the Shuking, pronounced himself against it. The reasons advanced by this great scholar are not very cogent, and, in fact, not knowing the language, he was hardly competent to judge. But, even if he were right, others may be in a different position. Dr. Legge was perhaps more fortunate or more gifted than most people and had a thorough mastery of Chinese at the time when St. Julien wrote to him. Those who find Chinese more difficult will be inclined to consider the Manchu translations a great help.

This grammar being intended for the practical purpose of guiding the student in learning to read Manchu works, not of translating into Manchu, everything foreign to the aim is left out, especially all information which properly belongs to the sphere of the dictionary.

Shanghai, February, 1892.

P.G. von Möllendorff.

THE ALPHABET.

	When alone.	In the beginning of a word.	In the middle of a word.	At the end of a word.
a	ᠠ	ᠠ‍᠊	᠊ᠠ᠊	᠊ᠠ
e	ᡝ when followed by n in the beginning of a word, a space is left to distinguish it from a: ᡝ᠊ᠨ᠊ en ᠠ᠊ a	ᡝ᠊	᠊ᡝ᠊	᠊ᡝ
i	ᡳ	ᡳ᠊	᠊ᡳ᠊	᠊ᡳ
o	ᠣ	ᠣ᠊	᠊ᠣ᠊	᠊ᠣ see b
u	ᡠ	ᡠ᠊	᠊ᡠ᠊	᠊ᡠ
ū	ᡡ	ᡡ᠊	᠊ᡡ᠊	᠊ᡡ
n		ᠨ᠊	᠊ᠨ᠋᠊	᠊ᠨ ‍᠊ᠨ᠌ like final a, but a vowel preceding shows that it must be n.
k		ᡴ‍᠊ when followed by a, o, ū ᡴ when followed by e, i, u	᠊ᡴ᠊ ᠊ᡴ᠋᠊ ᡴ	᠊ᡴ
g		ᡤ᠊ when followed by a, o, ū ᡤ when followed by e, i, u	᠊ᡤ᠊ ᠊‍ᡬ‍᠊
h		ᡥ᠊ when followed by a, o, ū ᡥ when followed by e, i, u	᠊ᡥ᠊ ᠊‍ᡭ‍᠊
b		ᠪ᠊	᠊ᠪ᠊	᠊ᠪ the downstroke is longer than that of o.
p		ᡦ᠊	᠊ᡦ᠊
s		ᠰ᠊	᠊ᠰ᠊	᠊ᠰ
š		ᡧ᠊	᠊ᡧ᠊
t		ᡨ᠋᠊ foll. by a, ᡨ᠌᠊ foll. by e,	᠊ᡨ᠋᠊ ta, ᠊ᡨ᠍᠊ te, ᠊᠊ᡨ᠌᠊ after a vowel and before a consonant.	᠊ᡨ
d		ᡩ᠊ foll. by a, ᡩ᠋᠊ foll. by e,	᠊ᡩ᠋᠊ da, ᠊ᡩ᠊ de
l		ᠯ᠊	᠊ᠯ᠊	᠊ᠯ
m		ᠮ᠊	᠊ᠮ᠊	᠊ᠮ
c		ᠴ᠊	᠊ᠴ᠊
j		ᠵ᠊	᠊ᠵ᠊
y		ᠶ᠊	᠊ᠶ᠊
r			᠊ᡵ᠊	᠊ᡵ
f		ᡶ‍᠊ foll. by a or e ᡶ᠋‍᠊ foll by other vowels.	‍᠊ᡶ‍᠊ foll. by a or e, ᠊ᡶ᠋‍᠊ foll. by other vowels
w		ᠸ᠊ foll. by a or e	᠊ᡶ᠋‍᠊ foll. by a or e
For transcribing Chinese syllables:— kʽ ᠺ᠊, gʽ ᡬ᠊, hʽ ᡭ᠊, tsʽ ᡮ᠊, ts ᡮᡟ, dz ᡯ, ž ᡰ᠊, sy (四) ᠰᡟ, cʽy (勅) ᡱᡳ, jy (智) ᡷ᠊ᡳ,
ng			᠊ᠩᡤ‍᠊ (a) ᠊ᠩᡤᡝ᠊ (e)	᠊ᠩ

I. Phonology.

1. Alphabet.

Manchu writing consists of 34 elements, viz., 6 vowels, 18 essentially Manchu consonants and 10 marks specially intended for rendering of Chinese syllables (vide Table).

The 6 vowels are a, e (ä), i, o, u, ū (not ō as generally represented).^[1]

The 18 consonants are k, g, h, n, b, p, s, š, t, d, l, m, c, j, y, r, f, w.

The 10 marks are kʽ, gʽ, hʽ, tsʽ, ts, dz, ž, sy, cʽy, jy.^[2]

k, g, h, t, d have two forms, one when followed by a, o, ū, the other when followed by e, i, u.

o in the middle or at the end of words may be doubled and then stands for oo or ao.

If u or ū is followed by a or e, w is placed between them: juwe (two) pronounced jue.

If a vowel is followed by i, the latter is doubled, except at the end of a word.

No word commences with r, nor with two or more consonants.

t after a vowel and before a consonant, or at the end of a word, is written like on.

To distinguish f from w, the rule is: at the beginning of a word w occurs only when followed by a or e. F before a and e has an additional stroke at the right.

Manchu is written from top to bottom, the lines following from left to right.^[3]

⁠Pronunciation.

Many of the Manchu words are now pronounced with some Chinese peculiarities of pronunciation, so k before i and e=chʽ, g before i and e=ch, h and s before i=hs, etc. H before a, o, u, ū, is the guttural Scotch or German ch.

n is the ordinary sonorous liquid; only as initial, when followed by iya, iye, iyo, io, it is pronounced like ny: e.g. niyalma man=nyalma; niyengniyeri spring=nyingnyiri; niolhon smooth=nyolhon (Radloff, Phonetik, p. 162).

š=sh; c=ch in Chinese; j=j in judge; y when initial=y in yonder.

a, i, o, u, ū as in German.

e=ä, ö; e.g. ejen master, Tungusic äjän; inenggi day, Tung. inängî; elgembi to lead, Tung. ölgöjäm; edun wind, Tung. ödyn.

i=i, y (=Russian ы); hali meadow=Tung. kowyr.

y with an e before and after, is not pronounced: beye body=bee (bēö). Nor is it heard between i and a, or i and e.

ž=j in jardin.

The accent lies always on the last syllable, the same as in Mongolian.

⁠2. Harmony of Vowels.

Manchu writing distinguishes 6 vowels; there are, however, in reality eight, which all occur in stem syllables: a, ä, o, ö, y, i, u, ü. As regards long and short vowels u only has two separate signs.

These 8 vowels are divided^[4] into the following groups:—

4

guttural

a

o

y

u

4

palatal

ä

ö

i

ü

4

dental

a

ä

y

i

4

labial

o

u

ö

ü

2

dento-guttural

a

y

2

labio-guttural

o

u

2

dento-palatal

ä

i

2

labio-palatal

ö

ü

4

wide vowels

a

o

ä

ö

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according to the degree of widening or narrowing in inner organs of speech.

4

narrow vowels

y

u

i

ü

The harmony of vowels consists in a certain attraction of vowels physiologically related to each other; in accordance with it a vowel can only be followed by a corresponding one. All the Altaic languages show this peculiarity, the Turkish dialects the most, the Tungusic and Manchu the least. Within stems this harmony of vowels is of interest only to the philologist, but as most of the affixes in Manchu offer the choice between 2 or even 3 vowels (e.g. ha, ho, he; la, le; hon, hun, hūn), a few rules are necessary to show which vowels should be used.

Stems terminating in a, e or o, take the same vowel in the affix: sula-ha left behind; mute-re being able to; tokto-ho fixed. Exceptions are given under “Verbs.”
For affixes in on, un, ūn (hon, hun, hūn): stems in which a or o occurs twice, or those having i and a, take sometimes ū: yada-hūn poor; šoyos-hūn folded.
Stems of one syllable, terminating in i or u, take mostly e: bi-he was; ku-he rotten. With one of the affixes on, un, ūn: his-hūn bashful.
Stems of several syllables terminating in i or u, with a, u, ū, or oo preceding, take mostly a: mari-ha returned; jabu-ha answered; tumi-kan somewhat frequent; gūni-ha thought; kooli-ngga customary. An exception appears to be: ashū-re will refuse. Of affixes in on, un, ūn: tali-hūn doubtful; miosi-hūn or hon wrong.
Stems of several syllables terminating in i or u, with e preceding, take e: julesi-ken a little forward; tebu-ngge laying down; of affixes in on, un, ūn: wesi-hun upper; etu-hun strong.
Stems having u repeated, take mostly e, but sometimes a: uku-he accompanied; ulu-ken a little wrong; but usu-kan a little uncommon.
Stems terminating in u with i preceding, take mostly a: bišu-kan a little smooth; but also e: kiru-re will be in heat.
Stems in u and ū, take mostly a: mukū-ha breathed in.
Stems with two i, take mostly a: ili-ha stood; but also e: iji-re will weave.

The exceptions for the verbal affixes ha, ra, will be given in extenso under “Verbs.”

If two or more affixes are used, the vowel of the first determines the vowels of the others.

The difference between wide and narrow vowels is also used to express the difference of gender, e.g.:—

a male principle (陽 yang)	e female principle (陰 yin).
ama father.	eme mother.
amha father-in-law.	emhe mother-in-law.
haha man.	hehe woman, etc.

3. Diphthongs and Triphthongs.

In these the rules of vowel harmony are not perceptible:

a may be followed by i, o: ai, ao; e by i, o: ei, eo; i by a, e, i, o, u: ia, ie, ii, io, iu; o by i, o: oi, oo; u by a, e, i, o: ua, ue, ui, uo; ū by a, e, i, o: ūa, ūe, ūi, ūo.

Triphthongs are ioa, ioo, io(w)an, io(w)en, ioi, i(y)ao.

Of the above oo stands for ao or ū; ioo for Chinese yao (要); io(w)an, io(w)en for uan, üan; ioi for ü, i(y)oo for iao.

4. Word-changes and Foreign Words.

Vowels are often dropped:

in the middle of words: tofohon fifteen, pronounced tofhon; ilha flower from ilaha; utha hunt—butaha; hojhon son-in-law—hojihon; ufhi part—ufuhi; gelhun fear—gelehun; narša niggard—naraša; cirku pillow—ciruku from cirumbi; forgon or forhon season—forohon, etc.
in combination of two words: ertele till here—ere tele, emderi at the same time—emu derei; emuršu simple—emu ursu; erse such—ere se; ergi this side—ere gi; inenggishūn noon—inenggi sahūn; dergi upper—dere gi; baitakū unemployed—baita akū; memema step-father—meme ama; aba where?—ai ba; amargi behind—ama ergi, alimbaharakū inexpressible—alime baraha akū.

A final n, not being part of the root, is dropped in combinations: kumuda musician—kumun da; ilase three years—ilan se; daniyartu a mythological animal—daniyan artu, or transformed in m before b: dulimba middle—dulin ba.

K and h, g and h sometimes interchange: emeke—emhe mother-in-law; julge—julehe formerly.

Foreign words in Manchu are mostly Chinese and Mongol. The latter, like gobi desert, sain good, have been taken over without change and are difficult to recognize as foreign.

In the beginning of Manchu literature Chinese words were:—

borrowed without change, new words for new idea: ging (京, 經, 更), gung (公, 宮, 功, 工), wang (王), even when an original Manchu word existed: liyo hūwang (硫黃 liu huang sulphur) instead of hurku; funghūwang (鳳凰 fêng huang phœnix) instead of garudai. It has been calculated that one-third of the Manchu dictionary consists of Chinese words thus borrowed.
with slight change in the termination: ging-gulembi to honour from 敬 (ching).
with an addition explanatory of the meaning: gin liyan ilha (金蓮 chin lien lotus, ilha flower) lotus; ingturi or ingtoro cherry from 櫻 ying cherry with turi bean or toro (桃 tʽao) peach.

Other similarities seem to point to more ancient loans: fi brush (筆 pi), fafun law (法 fa); dulefun degree (度 tu); kemun measure (刻 kʽe). These may, however, originally spring from the same root (compare e.g. kemun with Jakutic käm measure).

Manchu words cannot begin with r (Buddhist works contain some transliterated Sanscrit words commencing with r) or ū (ūlet is Mongol). They generally terminate in vowels or n. Final r, k, and s is only found in onomatopoetic words like kacar kicir, kafur, kalar kilir, etc., cik cak, tok, katak kitik, kas kis. Words with final m, l, or t, are foreign: serim name of a place, serekul town in Turkestan, mandal Mongol word, a place where scared rites are practiced ūlet is a Mongol name.

Some few words terminate in b: tob right, cob mountain peak, kab kib, cib cab. The ending ng, if not onomatopoetic as in ang, cing cang, cung, etc., shows Chinese origin.

II. Etymology.

The words of Manchu language may be divided into: 1. nouns and adjectives, 2. pronouns, 3. numerals, 4. verbs, 5. adverbs, 6. postpositions, 7. conjunctions, 8. interjections.

1. Nouns and adjectives I treat together, as they have many terminations in common and as many adjectives may be used as nouns and vice versa.

The terminations for nouns are:—

vowels: abka heaven, muke water, kesi favour, olo hemp, huncu sledge, boo house, buhū stag.
n: morin horse, banin nature.
ka, ko, ku, kū, ho, indicating mostly names of instruments and utensils: ujika, bow case; oboko washing basin; hujuku bellows; forikū drum; corho funnel; but also tacikū school.
ha, he, ge, han, hen, gan, gen, gon: sujaha tent peg; suhe, suhen commentary, nedege news; hūsihan petticoat; hūrgan large net; turigen wages; bodogon intention.
ba: hondoba whip lash; dulimba middle.
bun: ulabun tradition.
si, ci, cin: yafasi gardener; aduci herdsman; jacin second of two brothers.
ra, re, ri, ro, ru, ran, ren, ron: jamaran quarrel; tohoro circle, wheel; heturen cross beam.

The terminations for nouns and adjectives are:—

nggi: inenggi day; etenggi strong.
hiyan, hiyen: acuhiyan slander, calumnious.
hon, hun, hūn, shun, shūn: etuhun power, mighty; ijishūn compliance, compliant.
sun: hūwaliyasun harmony, peaceful.
tu, tun: iletu appearance, clear; iletun sign.
ki, hi, hin: jabšaki luck, lucky; hūlhi stupid; aduhi leather trowsers; lekerki, lekerhi, lekerhin seal.
cu, cun: suilacun anxiety, anxious.
la, lo, le, lan, lon, len: fangkala low; dorolon ceremony.
ju, ji: boihoju terrestrial, spirit of the earth; jiduji quite right; boigoji landlord.

The terminations for adjectives are:—

ngga, nggo, ngge, nggū: moringga riding, doronggo regular; ambalinggū (o) earnest.
(n) ingge: niyalmaingge human.
su, da, do, de: gelesu timid; ubiyada hated.
buru, cuka, cuke: hataburu, hatacuka odious; ferguwecuke wonderful.
saka: ekisaka silent.

Diminutives and augmentatives are formed with the affixes kan, kon, ken, gan, gen, liyan, liyen, cen, si: ambakan somewhat large; biragan a small river; olhokon a little dry; gelfiyeken a little pale; adaliliyan somewhat similar; ambakaliyan a little big; isheliyen rather narrow; suhecen a small axe; ambakasi somewhat big.

Adjectives are transformed into nouns by adding urse (者): tacire urse (學者) the students, the scholars; or by adding ba (place): amba ba greatness.

The plural of nouns (adjectives remain unchanged) is formed:—

by the affixes sa, se, si, so, ta, da, te, ri. These are simply added to the word; a final n (not being part of the root) is dropped (hafan—hafasa); but han emperor—hansa. Jui loses final i: juse; omolo final lo: omosi. Thus šabi—šabisa; age, agese; aha—ahasi; monggo—monggoso; ama—amata; eme—emete; mafa—mafari. Some nouns use several affixes: urun—urusa and uruse; agu—agusa and aguse; nakču—nakčusa, nakčuse, and nakčuta; gioro or gioru—gioroso and gioruse; sargan—sargata and sargada.
by repeating the noun: se se years.
by adding numeral terms or words denoting plurality. These are:
- Placed before the noun: tanggū hundred, e.g. tanggū hala (百姓) the hundred family names, the people; tumen ten thousand (萬), e.g. tumen jaka things, all things; geren all, e.g. geren niyalma all men; the latter is also used in combination with plural forms: geren ambasa hafasa the officials.
- Placed after the noun: gemu all, e.g. bayan gemu the rich; tome all, e.g. niyalma tome men, all men; jergi rank (等), e.g. gurgu jergi the animals; urse (者) follows chiefly adjectives or participles, e.g. bayan urse the rich; tacire urse the scholars, but does not always denote plurality.

Combinations of nouns with other affixes: i, ni; de; be; ci.

I, ni. I is placed after words terminating in a vowel or in n; ni follows words terminating in a consonant other than n. After words ending in i (words of Chinese origin excepted) the i may be left out.

This affix denotes:

the genitive case or possession, origin, habitation, part, intention with which a thing is done (之), e.g. boo i ejen the master of the house; abkai ejen the Lord of Heaven, God (天主); irgen i urse those of the people; urgun i doro the ceremony of congratulation.
instrumentality (以), e.g. suhe i with an axe.
an adverbial expression (然), e.g. fafun i legally.

Sometimes the i is left out, e.g. gūnin sukdun the spirit of thought, i.e. energy; siden haha a supernumerary. The first noun is in such cases employed like an adjective.

Of several nouns dependent on one, only the last of the dependent nouns takes the affix, e.g. ama jui i boo the house or houses of the son and of the father. Ama i jui i boo means the houses of the son of the father.

De denotes the situation (in, at), the direction (towards, upon, on), the address (to), the remaining with, according to, the locative and the dative: gurun de in the empire, towards the empire; hoton de in or to the town; doron de according to custom, solemnly; na de on earth; ere niyalma de bumbi to give to this (ere) man (niyalma); tere niyalma de henduhe he spoke with that man; dere de sindambi to place on the table; si aibide genembi where (aibide) are you (si) going to? tuware de ja gojime yabure de mangga though (gojime) easy (ja) to look at (tuware de), it is difficult (mangga) to perform (yabure de); niyalma de it is for man to; abka de it is for heaven to (hominis est, cœli est); juwe de gemu sartabure de isinambi to come to (isinambi) delaying (sartabure de) altogether (gemu) in either (juwe de) 兩下裡都至於躭擱; gemu like the Chinese 都 tu is here expletive.
Be denotes the direct complement of the verb, the accusative, e.g. baita be gaimbi to take a thing; erdemui beyebe dasambi by virtue we cultivate the body (beye be ourselves). Be is sometimes used as an expletive, e.g. hūwašabukū mutebukū tacikū tacihiyakū be ilibufi tacibume. hūwašabukū serengge ujire be tacihiyakū serengge tacibure be mutebukū serengge gabtabure be, establish (ilibufi) colleges, academies, schools and gymnasia for the instruction (tacibume) of the people. A college is for nourishment, an academy (and a school) for instruction, a gymnasium for archery (Mencius, Gabelentz p. 90, Legge p. 118). This use of be might be explained as an ellipsis, a verb like to give (bumbi) or to teach (tacimbi) being understood. It may be left out, if the sentence is otherwise clear, e.g. bithe arambi to write a letter.
Ci is the sign of the ablative case (from, out of), denotes separation and is used in comparisons, e.g. ereci amasi henceforward; daci dubede isitala from beginning to end; ubaci goro akū not far from this; ama eniye ci fakcafi, booci aljafi inenggi goidaha taking leave of his father and mother, he was long separated from his family; yaci nenenme jihe bihe which came first?
It serves to form the comparative, e.g. minci amba bigger than myself.

2. Pronouns.

Personal pronouns.
bi I, si thou, i he (tere that), be we, muse we, suwe you, ce they. Muse means (like the Pekingese 咱們 tsa men) we that are speaking together, we that belong to one family, one clan, one nation. The above are declined as follows:—

nom.	bi I	be we	muse we	si thou	suwe you	i he, she, it	ce they
gen.	mini	meni	musei	sini	suweni	ini	ceni
dat.	minde	mende	musede	sinde	suwende	inde	cende
acc.	mimbe	membe	musebe	simbe	suwembe	imbe	cembe
abl.	minci	menci	museci	sinci	suwenci	inci	cenci.

For I, myself, etc., beye is added to the genitive: mini beye, sini beye, etc. For he himself ini beye or gūla beye is used.

Possessive Pronouns. These are formed by adding ngge to the genitive of the personal pronouns: miningge mine, siningge thine, etc. Often the genitive without ngge is thus employed: meni morin our horse. Ere this, tere that frequently stand for the third person: terei gūnin his opinion; eseingge theirs, belonging to them.
Demonstrative Pronouns. These are ere this, tere that:—

nom. ere this ese these tere that tese those

gen. erei, ereni esei terei tesei

dat. ede, erede esede tede, terede tesede

acc. erebe esebe terebe tesebe

abl. ereci eseci tereci teseci
If used as adjectives, ere and tere do not add the case affixes. Sometimes uba this and tuba that are used, but always alone, not in combination with nouns.
Interrogative Pronouns. These are we (gen. wei, dat. wede, acc. webe, abl. weci) who? ai (acc. aimbe, abl. ainci) what? which? ya who? what? With we are formed weingge, weike which? of what nature? With ai: aibi, ai gese, aiba what? ai yadare how much? aba where? etc. With ya: yaci who? what? yaka how? At the end of interrogative sentences it is common to append ni or o, e.g. marimbio shall I back out? When following the future participle in ra (re, ro) o sometimes implies a request: minde hūlabureo do cause me to study! (hūlambi to study, hūlabumbi passive or causative, hūlabure future participle)
Indefinite Pronouns: aika, aimaka somebody, ya everybody, yamaka whoever, etc.

3. Numerals.

The cardinal numbers are:—

1	emu, emke
2	juwe
3	ilan
4	duin
5	sunja
6	ninggun
7	nadan
8	jakūn
9	uyun
10	juwan
11	juwan emu
12	juwan„ juwe
13	juwan„ ilan
14	juwan„ duin
15	tofohon
16	juwan ninggun, etc.
20	orin
21	orin emu, etc.
30	gūsin
40	dehi
50	susai
60	ninju
70	nadanju
80	jakūnju
90	uyunju
100	tanggū
101	tanggū emu
200	juwe tanggū
300	ilan tanggū, etc.
1000	minggan
10000	tumen
100000	juwan tumen
1000000	tanggū tumen.

The higher numerals (up to 100 trillions buju baja) are not originally Manchu, but were introduced into Buddhist works in imitation of Tibetan numerals which again were originally Sanscrit.

The Ordinal Numerals are formed by adding ci to the cardinals, dropping a final n except in juwan ten and tumen ten thousand, in which two the n is part of the root: The first uju, ujui, ujuci, tuktan, emuci, the very first ujui uju, niongnio, bonggo. The second jai, jaici, juweci.

The third ilaci

The fourth duici

The fifth sunjaci

The sixth ningguci

The seventh nadaci

The eighth jakūci

The ninth uyuci

The tenth juwanci

The eleventh juwan emuci

The hundredth tanggūci

The thousandth minggaci

The ten thousandth tumenci.

Distributive Numerals are formed by adding ta, te, to, to the cardinals, final n being dropped as with the ordinal numerals (except in juwan 10 and tumen 10000).

one by one emte (for emute)

by twos juwete

by„ threes itata

by„ fours duite

by„ fives sunjata

by„ sixes ninggute

by„ sevens nadata

by„ 8 jakūta

by„ 9 uyute

by„ 10 juwanta

by„ 15 tofohoto

by„ 20 orita

by„ 30 gūsita

by„ 40 dehite

by„ 50 susaita.

by„ 60 ninjute.

by„ 70 nadanjuta (te).

by„ 80 jakūnjute.

by„ 90 uyunjute.

by„ 100 tanggūta.

by„ 1000 minggata.

by„ 10000 tumente.

by„ several udute.

Fractional numerals: dulin, dulga, andala, tubi, dulimba, hontoho half; 1/4 duin ci emu; 1/3 ilan ci emu.
Multiplicative Numerals are formed by adding ubu or rsu (ursu) to the cardinals with elision of final n (except as above in juwan and tumen):
- single emursu, emu ubu;
- double jursu, juwe ubu, ubui; ubui fulu (twice as much), juru, bakcin;
- threefold ilarsu ilan ubu;
- ninefold uyursu;
- hundredfold tanggūrsu.
With reference to textile fabrics ri is used: ilari threefold, sunjari fivefold, jakūri eightfold.

Other numeral expressions are: gemu both, durbejengge square, with four angles.

4. Verbs.

There are in Manchu pure verbal stems of one and more syllables like o to be, ara to write, and verbs derived from nouns and adjectives.

The more common syllables used in case of such derivations are:

ta, to, te, da, do, de: gosin humanity—gositambi (also without any insertion: gosi—mbi); jali crafty—jalidambi to cheat.
na, no, ne: abdaha a leaf —abdahanambi to leaf; acan union—acanambi to meet.
la, le: hiyoošun (孝順) filial piety—hiyoosulambi to treat with filial piety; aba a hunt—abalambi to hunt
du, ndu: hiyoošun filial piety—hiyoosundumbi
ra, ro, re: gisun word—gisurembi to speak
ša, šo, še: injeku merry—injekušembi to laugh at; adali similar—adalisambi to be similar.

In some cases it is doubtful whether the verb is derived from the noun or whether the latter is of verbal derivation: isan a meeting, isambi to meet; iren the track of fish, irenembi to ruffle the water (as fish do).

There are further syllables which, when added to the stem of verbs form new verbs. These are:

ja, mostly reflexive: gūninambi to think, gūninjambi the same; isambi to meet, isamjambi to collect.
nu, ndu, mostly cooperative: injembi to laugh, injendumbi to laugh together (injenumbi); arambi to do, arandumbi to do together.
ca, co, ce, cooperative and frequentative: injembi to laugh, injecembi to laugh together; dedumbi to sleep, deducembi to sleep together.
ji: wambi to kill, wajimbi to die; arambi to do, aranjimbi to come to do.
na, no, ne: isimbi to come near, isinambi to arrive.

An accumulation of these syllables frequently occurs: ijumbi—ijurambi—ijursambi to besmear: abalambi to hunt, abalanambi to go hunting, abalanjimbi to come to the hunt, abalandumbi to hunt together; acambi to meet, acalambi to agree upon, acamjambi to collect, acanambi to meet, acandumbi to meet together, acanjimbi to come to meet.

Moods and Tenses. To express the moods and tenses the Manchu verb has 23 forms.

The stem; the moods and tenses are produced by adding the following affixes to the stem of the verb:—
mbi, 3. me, 4. ha (he, ho, ka, ke, ko, ngka, ngke, ngko), 5. ra (re, ro, ndara, ndere), 6. ci, 7. ki, 8. fi (pi, mpi), 9. mbihe, 10. habi (hebi, hobi, kabi, kebi, kobi), 11. habihe (hebihe, hobihe, kabihe, kebihe, kobihe), 12. habici (hebici, hobici, kabici, kobici); 13. cibe, 14. cina (cun), 15. kini, 16. mbime, 17. mbifi, 18. nggala (nggele, nggolo), 19. mbumbi, 20. mbubumbi, 21. ngge, 22. le (lengge), 23. leme (lame).^[5]

Of these ha (4), ra (5), habi (10), habihe (11), habici (12), and nggala (18) are subjected to the laws of vowel harmony.

Taking in order the parts of the paradigm arambi to write I will now explain each form.

The stem is ara which at the same time serves as the Imperative: ara write!
By adding mbi we obtain the Present Tense: ara—mbi I write (there being no distinction of persons, this stands for I, thou, he, we, you, they write).
Me added to the stem makes the Infinitive: ara—me to write; this form is also an Indefinite Gerund: writing
The affix ha forms the preterite: ara—ha I wrote. It is also a past participle: written, having written.
The affix ra forms the Future: ara—ra I shall write; it is also a participle: writing, going to write.
Ci makes a Conditional Tense: ara—ci I should write, if I wrote, should I write, sometimes to be translated by the present tense implying a doubt.
Ki forms a Subjunctive of the present: ara—ki may he write.
Fi forms a past Gerund: ara—fi having written, after having written.

The above eight are the fundamental forms; the 15 others are formed by adding affixes to them, Those which are added to the stem are:—

Mbihe forming an Imperfect Tense: ara—mbihe I was writing.
Habi forming an Indefinite Past: ara—habi I have written.
Habihe forming a Pluperfect: ara—habihe I had written.
Habici forming a Past Conditional Tense: ara—habici if I had written.
Cibe forming an Adversative: ara—cibe although I may write, even if I write.
Cina forming a Concessive: ara—cina may he write if he likes, may he write what he likes. An old form cun (ara—cun) is found in a translation of the Shiking (Book of Odes).
Kini forming an Optative: ara—kini would that he wrote! Cina and kini are also used in an imperative or passive sense.
Mbime forming a Gerund: ara—mbime whilst writing.
Mbifi forming a Gerund: ara—mbifi having written.
Nggala denotes that at thing has not yet been done: ara—nggala before I wrote, before writing.
Mbumbi forming the Passive or Causative Mood: ara—mbumbi is written, causes to write. This then becomes a new verb, which as an independent stem (arambu) takes all the other affixes.
Mbubumbi forming a Causative of the Passive: ara—mbubumbi causes to be written.

The following affixes are added to the forms in ha (4) and ra (5):—

Ngge forming Verbal Nouns and Adjectives: ara—ha—ngge, ara—ra—ngge that which is written, the writing; that which he has written; he is writing; he who is writing.
Le adds an indefinite meaning: ara—ha—le, ara—ra—le whoever writes, whatever is written. This affix is originally ele (whoever) and the Chinese-Manchu Grammar Tsing Wen Ki Mung (vol. II, fol. 32 b) is wrong in giving two forms le and la, subjecting them to the law of harmony. This form also takes the affix ngge: ara—ha—le—ngge, ara—ra—le—ngge—whosoever is writing.
lame (leme) added to the future in ra (5) renders the meaning adverbial: ara—ra—lame in the manner of writing.

PARADIGM OF ARAMBI TO WRITE.

1.	Imperative	ara	write!
2.	Present Tense	arambi	I write.
3.	Infinitive	arame	to write.
4.	Preterite	araha	I wrote.
5.	Future	arara	I shall write.
6.	Conditional	araci	should I write.
7.	Subjunctive Present	araki	may he write.
8.	Past Gerund	arafi	having written.
9.	Imperfect	arambihe	I was writing.
10.	Indefinite Past	arahabi?	I have written.
11.	Pluperfect	arahabihe	I had written.
12.	Past Conditional	arahabici	if I had written.
13.	Adversative	aracibe	although he may write.
14.	Concessive	aracina	may he write.
15.	Optative	arakini	would that he wrote.
16.	Gerund I.	arambime	whilst writing.
17.	Gerund„ II.	arambifi	having written.
18.	Gerund„ III.	aranggala	before writing.
19.	Passive	arambumbi	it is written.
20.	Causative or Passive	arambubumbi	I cause to be written.
21.	Verbal Noun	arahangge, ararangge	the writing, the writer.
22.	Indefinite	arahale, ararale	whoever writes.
23.	Adverbial	araralame	in the manner of writing.

IRREGULARITIES.

The following verbs have an irregular Imperative:—

baimbi	to request	—baisu.
bimbi	to be	—bisu.
gaimbi	to receive	—gaisu.
jembi	to eat	—jefu.
jimbi	to come	—jio, ju.
ombi	to become	—oso.
tucimbi	to go forth	—tusinu
wasimbi	to fall	—wasinu
wesimbi	to rise	—wesinu

The sign of the Past Tense ha, he, ho, ka, ke, ko, ngka, ngke, ngko, and the sign of the Future ra, re, ro, ndara, ndere, ndoro are subject to the laws of vowel harmony. The general rules are:—
1. verbs with the stem in a have ha (ka) and ra. Exceptions with ha, re: buktalambi, cihalšambi, cilcilambi, maimašambi, manjurambi, miyoocalambi, nionggalambi, niyakurambi, tungnigambi. With he, ra: derakulambi, faishalambi, sosambi. With ho, ro: morilambi.
2. verbs with the stem in e have he (ke) and re. Exceptions: siderilembi (ha, re); giyoloršembi (ho, ro).
3. verbs with the stem in o have ho (ko) and ro. Exceptions: doombi (ha, re); fombi (ha, re); gombi, goha, gondoro; joombi (ha, re); leombi or loombi (ha, re); neombi (he, re); niyaniombi (ha, re); šombi (ha, re); tungniombi (ha, re); yombi, yoha, yoro, yondoro.
4. verbs in u with a preceding have ha (ka), ra (re). Exception: niyanggumbi (he, re).
5. verbs in i with a preceding have ha (ka), ra (re). Exception: alanggimbi (he, re).
6. verbs in i with e preceding have he (ke), re. Exception: kesimbi (ha, re).
7. verbs in u with e preceding have he (ke), re. Exception: feksimbi (ha, re).

Dahambi forms daha (instead of dahaha), bahambi forms baha.

A number of verbs, however, contrary to the above rules, take ha, ra; ha, re; he re; ho, ro; ka, ra; ka, re; ke, re; ko, ro; ha and ka, ra; ha and ka, re; ha and ke, re; ha and he, re; ha and ko, ro; ke and ho, ro; he and ke, re; ho and ko, ro; ke and ko, ro. It would be to no purpose to give the long lists of these verbs, Sakharoff’s Dictionary gives the affixes used by each verb.

The following verbs are only used in the Indefinite Past: abulikabi, abšakabi, bemberekebi, delerekebi, farakabi, feherekebi, giegerekebi, genggerekebi, giyabsarakabi, gūwasakabi, ilmerekebi, jakjarakabi, jerekebi, joholikabi, juyekebi, laifarakabi, lebderekebi, lukdurekebi, werukebi.

The following verbs are found only as participles in ka, ke and ko: fuseke, niyekseke, oyoko, sureke, uldeke, undarako.

Certain verbs form the Preterite in ngka, ngke, ngko, the future in ndara, ndere, ndoro. Other form the Past Gerund in pi, mpi instead of in fi The following list gives the verbs with these irregularities, including the verbs already mentioned with irregular Imperatives.

LIST OF IRREGULAR VERBS.

Verb.	Imperative.	Preterite.	Future.	Past Gerund.
bahambi		baha
baimbi	baisu	baiha	baire
bambi		bangka	bandara
bimbi	bisu	bihe	bisire
bisarambi				bisarapi
bombi		bongko	bore, bondoro	infin. bonme
cambi		caha, cangka	cara	cafi
colgorombi		colgoroko	colgororo	colgoropi
dahambi		daha
deserembi				deserepi
duksembi				duksepi
dulembi				dulepi
eldembi		eldeke	eldere	eldepi
eyembi				eyepi
falarambi				falarapi
farambi		faraha, faraka	farara	farapi
febumbi (fembi)		febuhe	febure	fempi
fombi		foha	fore	fompi, condit. fomci
fosombi				fosopi
fumbi		fungke		fumpi
gaimbi	gaisu	gaiha	gaire
gajimbi	gaju
gerembi		gerehe, gereke	gerere, gerendere
gombi		goha	gondoro
guwembi		guwengke	guwendere	guwempi, cond. guwen
gūmbi		gūha	gūndere
gūwaliyambi (hū)		gūwaliyaka	gūwaliyara	gūwaliyapi, hūwaliyapi
hafumbi		hafuka	hafundere	hafupi
hatambi		hataha	hatara, hatandara
juilambi		jailaha	jailara, jailandara
jaksambi				jaksapi
jalambi		jalaka	jalara, jalandra	jalapi
jalumbi		jaluka	jalura	jalupi
jembi	jefu	jeke, jengke	jetere, jendere	jempi
jimbi	jio, ju	jihe	jidere
jombi		jongko	jondoro	jompi, cond. jonci, opt. jongki
jumbi		jungke	jure	jumpi, opt. jubki
jurambi				jurapi
juwambi		juwangka, juwaka	juwara, jore	juwampi
niorombi				nioropi
ombi, oombi	oso	oho	ojoro
sambi		sangka	sara	sampi
sembi		sengke	sere
sosombi		sosoko	sosoro	sosopi
sumbi		sungke, suhe	sure
šahūrambi		šahūraka	šahūrara	šahūrapi
šambi		šangka, šaha	šara
šarambi				šarapi
šumbi		šungke	šure	šumpi
teyembi		teyehe	teyere, teyendere
tucimbi	tucinu	tucihe, tucike	tucire
ukambi		ukaha, ukaka	ukara, ukandara
wasimbi	wasinu	wasika, ha	wasire
wembi		wengke	were, wendere	wempi, inf. weme
wesimbi	wesinu	wesike	wesire	wesipi
yombi		yoha	yoro, yondoro
yumbi		yungke	yudere, yundere	yumpi

The Verb in the Negative.

Negation is expressed by akū not, is not (無, 不, 未, 沒有), waka not, no (不是), ume (莫)) do not, unde not yet, umai not, not at all.

When joined to the Present Tense akū simply follows: bi gisurembi akū I do not speak. With other verbal forms akū loses its a: araha—kū he has not written, genehe—kū he did not go. Joined to the Future the a of akū remains: arar—akū he will not write, gener—akū he will not go. The affixes ci, fi, and ngge follow akū: generakūci if he does not go, akūfi not existing, bisirakūngge those who are not present (不在的). When alone akū takes the regular affixes: bi akūmbi I am not. A double negation often occurs, akūngge akū (無不): serakungge akū nothing unsaid, he says everything.

In interrogative sentences akū adds an n: si sembi akūn will you eat or not?

Waka not, no, is either employed like akū, but without taking the affixes, or stands at the beginning of a sentence and then means no: manju bithe hūlambi wakao do you not study Manchu?

Ume followed by the verb in the Future Tense (ra) expresses prohibition: ume fusikūsara do not despise; ume gunire do not think.

Unde is preceded by the verb in the Future Tense (ra): bi sabure unde I have not yet seen.

5. Adverbs.

Manchu adverbs are either primitive or derived from nouns, pronouns, numerals or verbs.

Primitive Adverbs are indeclinable words like inu yes, coro after to-morrow, etc., of which there are a great number.
Nouns are transformed into Adverbs by the affix i: an-i according to custom; de: doron de solemnly; ci: daci from the beginning, naturally; dari: biyadari monthly. Many adjectives, especially those ending in saka, cuka, cuke may be used as Adverbs.
The Pronouns furnish a great number of Adverbs: aide where?, aibaci wherefrom?, etc.
Most of the Numerals may be used as Adverbs. To the Ordinal Numerals de is added: jaide secondly. Others are formed by adding geri, nggeri, jergi, mudan, mari: emgeri once; ilanggeri thrice; emu mudan, emu mari once. Leme forms multiplicative Adverbs: tumenleme 10000 fold.
The verbal forms in me (arame), mbime (arambime), leme, lame preceded by the verb in the Future Tense (araralame) may all be used as adverbial expressions.
Many Adverbs are formed by adding the negation akū: erin akū never; hercun akū unexpectedly.

6. Postpositions.

These are either simple or compound.

The Simple Postpositions are the case affixes i, de, ci: i with, with the help of: suhe i with the axe; de in, at, on, towards, upon, to: hoton de in or to the town; ci from, out of: boo ci from the house.
The Compound Postpositions follow the noun without any case affix or are preceded by i, de, be, or ci: omoi jakade near the pond; alin de isitala as far as the mountain; fafun be dahame in accordance with the law; julge ci ebsi from antiquity.

7. Conjunctions.

Beside several postpositions being used as Conjunctions like jakade when, because, isitala as soon as, turgunde as, because, etc., there are primitive Conjunctions like uthai therefore, damu but, and derivatives of verbs like cohome consequently, tuwame with regard to, oci (from ombi) if, ocibe although, ofi because, of nouns like fonde at the time when, bade when, of pronouns like aibe......aibe as well as, and of numerals like emgeri......emgeri now... ..now.

8. Interjections.

There is a great variety of Interjections in Manchu: ai ah, ara alas, yaha ah, adada bravo, cibse hush, takasu stop, cu off, etc. A number of onomatopoetic interjections are used as verbs when followed by sembi (to speak): kab snap, kab sembi to snap at; kanggūr kinggur helter-skelter, with sembi to fall with a great noise.

III. Syntax.

The position of words in a sentence is governed by the general rule, that every word precedes that by which it is governed. Thus the genitive stands before the noun on which it depends, e.g. boo i ejen the master of the house.

The adjective, participle, or demonstrative pronoun precedes its noun, e.g. nikan mudan the Chinese pronunciation; mutere baita a thing which can be done; tere niyalma that man.

The object stands before its governing verb, e.g. bithe arambi I write a letter.

The verb stands last in the sentence and can only be followed by a conjunction. The sentence “when I had given that thing to my father yesterday” would be rendered in Manchu: sikse (yesterday) bi (I) mini ama de (to my father) tere (that) baita be (thing) buhabike (pluperfect of bumbi to give) manggi (when).

Subordinate verbs precede the conclusive verb and take the form of the Past Gerund in fi or the Conditional in ci, e.g. cooha be gaifi amasi bederehe he took (gaifi, Past Gerund of gaimbi) the army (cooha be) and retreated (bederehe, Preterit of bederembi) backwards (amasi); having collected his army he retreated.

Coordinate verbs standing first in the same sentence take the form of the Infinitive (or Gerund) in me and only the last verb takes the tense affix required, e.g. muse niyalma jalan de banjifi inenggidari jabošome seoleme, beye dubentele kiceme faššame dulekengge be amcame aliyara gosihon babi, we men (muse niyalma) having been born (banjifi, Past Gerund of banjimbi) into the world (jalan de), are daily (inenggidari) afflicted (jobošome, Gerund of jobošombi) and vexed (seoleme, Gerund of seolembi), till the end (dubentele) we fatigue (kiceme, Gerund of kicembi) and exert (faššame, Gerund of faššambi) ourselves (beye), expecting (aliy ara, Future Participle of aliyambi) again and again (amcame) that which is past (dulekengge be) we are really (babi) miserable (gosihon).

The following pages will serve as reading lessons and as exercises for the elucidation of Manchu syntax. The text is taken from the “Tanggū meyen” (Hundred Chapters) a book of Manchu-Chinese dialogues, v. page 10 of my “Essay on Manchu Literature” in Journal of C. B. or R. A. S. vol. xxiv (1890). The Chinese version of these dialogues is familiar to every student of Chinese, as it forms the “Hundred Lessons” in the Tzū-êrh-chi of Sir Thomas Wade, of whose classical English translation I have availed myself. By comparing the Chinese of these dialogues the interesting fact will be noticed that certain peculiarities of Pekingese are Manchuisms foreign to ordinary “Mandarin.”

1	2	3	4
ᡩᠣᠨᠵᡳᠴᡳ ᠰᡳ ᡨᡝ ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᠮᠪᡳ ᠰᡝᠮᠪᡳ᠈	ᡠᠮᡝᠰᡳ ᠰᠠᡳᠨ᠈ ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᠰᡝᡵᡝᠩᡤᡝ᠈ ᠮᡠᠰᡝᡳ ᡠᠵᡠᡳ	ᡠᠵᡠ ᠣᠶᠣᠩᡤᠣ ᠪᠠᡳᡨᠠ᠈ ᡠᡨᡥᠠᡳ ᠨᡳᡴᠠᠰᠠᡳ ᠮᡝᠨᡳ ᠮᡝᠨᡳ ᠪᠠ	‍ᡳ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ‍ᡳ ᠠᡩᠠᠯᡳ᠈ ᠪᠠᡥᠠᠨᠠᡵᠠᡴᡡᠴᡳ ᠣᠮᠪᡳᠣ᠈

Senior. So I hear you are studying Manchu, eh? that’s right. Manchu is with us Manchus the first and foremost of essentials; it is to us, in short, what the language spoken in his own part of the country is to a Chinese; so it would never do to be without a knowledge of Manchu, would it?

donjici,: Condit. tense (6) of donjimbi to hear: I hear, but I am not sure, whether it is so
si: thou
te: now
manju: Manchu
bithe: book
tacimbi: Present Tense (2) to learn
sembi: (2) to say, here merely closing the report he heard
umesi: very
sain: good
manju: Manchu
gisun: word, speech
serengge: Future Part. of sembi to say, namely
musei: we, with genitive affix i, of us
manjusai: Manchus, gen. plur. sa-i

ujui first, with genitive affix i	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	the first of the first
uju first

oyonggo: important
baita: thing, matter
uthai: therefore, it is as
nikasai,: pl. of nikan Chinese (nikasa) with gen. affix i of the Chinese
meni meni: every
ba: place
i: genitive affix
gisun: word, speech
i: genitive affix
adali: alike, similar to
bahanarakūci: Fut. (5) of bahanambi comprehend, with negation akū and oci Conditional (6) of ombi to be, you should know
ombio: Pres. Tense (2) of ombi to be, with interrogative o, will that do?

1	2	3	4
ᡳᠨᡠ ᠸᠠᡴᠠ ᠣᠴᡳ ᠠᡳ᠈ ᠪᡳ ᠵᡠᠸᠠᠨ ᠠᠨᡳᠶᠠ ᡶᡠᠨᠴᡝᠮᡝ ᠨᡳᡴᠠᠨ	ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᡥᠠ᠈ ᡨᡝᡨᡝᠯᡝ ᡠᠮᠠᡳ ᡩᡠᠪᡝ ᡩᠠ ᡨᡠᠴᡳᡵᠠᡴᡡ᠈	ᠵᠠᡳ ᠠᡳᡴᠠᠪᠠᡩᡝ ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝ ᡥᡡᠯᠠᡵᠠᡴᡡ᠈ ᡠᠪᠠᠯᡳᠶᠠᠮᠪᡠᡵᡝ	ᠪᡝ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠣᠴᡳ᠈ ᠵᡠᠸᡝ ᡩᡝ ᡤᡝᠮᡠ ᠰᠠᡵᡨᠠᠪᡠᡵᡝ ᡩᡝ ᡳᠰᡳᠨᠠᠮᠪᡳ

Junior. To be sure not. I have been studying Chinese for over ten years, but I am still as far as ever from seeing my way in it. Then if I can’t master Manju and learn to translate, I shall have broken down at both ends of the line.

inu: yes, indeed
waka: not
oci: Cond. (6) of ombi to be, it may
ai: what?
bi: I
juwan: ten
aniya: year
funceme: Inf. (3) of funcembi to exceed, coordinate definite verb followed by taciha: I have exceeded and learned
nikan: Chinese
bithe: book
taciha: Pret. (4) of tacimbi to learn: I have learned
tetele: from te now and tele till; up to the present, still
umai: not at all
dube: point, end, extreme
da: beginning dube da the very beginning
tucirakū: Fut. (5) of tucimbi to appear, with akū not: it does not appear
jai: second, further
aikabade: if
manju: Manchu
bithe: book
hūlarakū: Fut. (5) of hūlambi to read, to study, with akū not: shall not study
ubaliyambure: Fut. partic. (5) of ubaliyambumbi to translate
be: accusative affix
tacirakū: Fut. (5) of tacimbi to learn with akū not
oci: Cond. (6) of ombi to be
juwe de: two, with postpos. in
gemu: both, alike
sartabure: Fut. (5) of sartabumbi to be delayed
de: postpos. to
isinambi: to arrive

1	2	3	4
ᡠᡨᡨᡠ ᠣᡶᡳ᠈ ᡝᠮᡠᡩᡝ ᠣᠴᡳ᠈ ᠠᡤᡝ ᠪᡝ ᡨᡠᠸᠠᠨᠵᡳᡥᠠ᠈ ᠵᠠᡳ ᡩᡝ	ᠣᠴᡳ᠈ ᡤᡝᠯᡳ ᠰᠠᡴᡩᠠ ᠠᡥᡡᠨ ᡩᡝ ᠪᠠᡳᡵᡝ ᠪᠠᠪᡳ᠈ ᡩᠠᠮᡠ ᠪᠠᡳᠪᡳ	ᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᠵᡠᠸᠠᡵᠠ ᡩᡝ ᠮᠠᠩᡤᠠ᠈ ᡝᡩᡝ ᠠᡳᠪᡳ᠈ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᠪᡳᠴᡳ᠈ ᡠᡨᡥᠠᡳ	ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝ᠈ ᠮᡳᠨᡳ ᠮᡠᡨᡝᡵᡝ ᠪᠠᡳᡨᠠ ᠣᠴᡳ᠈ ᠰᡳᠨᡩᡝ ᠪᡳ ᡤᡝᠯᡳ ᠮᠠᡵᡳᠮᠪᡳᠣ᠈

So I am come to-day, sir, in the first place, to pay my respects to you, and, in the next, to ask a favour of you. I find it not so easy to open the subject, however.

Senior. What’s your difficulty? pray say what you have got to say. If it’s anything that I can do for you, do you suppose that, with the relations existing between us, I shall try to back out?

uttu: thus
ofi: Past Gerund (8) of ombi to be: having been
emude: firstly
oci: Cond. (6) of ombi to be
age: elder brother, sir
be: accusative affix
tuwanjiha: Pret. (4) of tuwanjimbi to call (composed of tuwambi to see and jimbi to come)
jaide: secondly
oci: Cond. (6) of ombi to be
geli: also
sakda: old, experienced
ahun: elder brother
de: dative affix
baire: Fut. Participle (5) of baimbi to request
babi: from ba place, occasion and bi there is
damu: but
baibi: only
angga: mouth
juwara: Fut. Part. (5) of juwambi to open
de: in
mangga: difficult
ede: so, then
aibi: (from ai what and bi is) what?
gisun: word, speech
bici: Cond. (6) of bimbi to be: if there are words
uthai: then
gisure: Imp. (1) of gisurembi to speak
mini: (gen of bi I) my
mutere: Fut. Part. (5) of mutembi to be able to do
baita: matter
oci: Cond. (6) of ombi to be
sinde: dative of si thou
bi: I
geli: too
marimbio: to turn the head away, to back out, with interrogative o.

1	2	3	4
ᠮᡳᠨᡳ ᠪᠠᡳᡵᡝᠩᡤᡝ᠈ ᠠᡤᡝ ᡤᠣᠰᡳᠴᡳ᠈ ᡧᠠᡩᠠᠮᠪᡳ ᠰᡝᠮᡝ ᠠᡳᠨᠠᡵᠠ᠈	ᡧᠣᠯᠣ ᡧᠣᠯᠣ ᡩᡝ᠈ ᡠᡩᡠ ᠮᡝᠶᡝᠨ ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᠪᠠᠨᠵᡳᠪᡠᡶᡳ᠈ ᠮᡳᠨᡩᡝ	ᡥᡡᠯᠠᠪᡠᡵᡝᠣ᠈ ᡩᡝᠣ ᠪᡳ ᠪᠠᡥᠠᡶᡳ ᡥᡡᠸᠠᡧᠠᠴᡳ᠈ ᡤᡝᠮᡠ ᠠᡤᡝ	‍ᡳ ᡴᡝᠰᡳ ᡴᠠᡳ᠈

Junior. What I have to ask, then, is this: that you will so far take an interest in me as to put yourself to a little trouble on my account; I will tell you how. Find time, if you can, to compose a few phrases in Manchu for me to study, and if I manage to succeed at all, I shall regard it entirely as your work.

mini: my
bairengge: Fut. Part. (21) of baimbi to request: that which I shall request
age: elder brother, sir
gosici: Cond. (6) of gosimbi to be kind to
šadambi: Present (2) to be (get) tired
seme: Inf. or Ger. (3) of sembi to say: saying
ainara: Fut. (5) of ainambi to do what?
šolo: leisure
šolo: leisure
de: in
udu: several, some
meyen: chapter
manju: Manchu
gisun: word, speech
banjibufi: Past Ger. (8) of banjibumbi to create, prepare: having prepared
minde: dat. for me
hūlabureo: Future (5) of causative of hūlambi to read, to study with o implying a request: please cause me to study
deo: younger brother
bi: I
bahafi: Past Ger. (8) of bahambi to obtain, to succeed
hūwašaci: Cond. (6) of hūwašambi to increase, to prosper
gemu: entirely
age: elder brother, sir
i: genitive affix
kesi: grace
kai: is (final particle).

1	2	3	4
ᠠᡳᠨᠠᡥᠠ ᠰᡝᠮᡝ ᠪᠠᡳᠯᡳ ᠪᡝ ᠣᠩᡤᠣᡵᠠᡴᡡ᠈ ᡠᡵᡠᠨᠠᡴᡡ	ᡠᠵᡝᠯᡝᠮᡝ ᡴᠠᡵᡠᠯᠠᡴᡳ᠈ ᠠᡳᠨᡠ ᡠᡨᡨᡠ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝᠮᠪᡳ᠈ ᠰᡳ ᠠᡳᡴᠠ	ᡤᡠᡵᡠᠨ ᡤᡡᠸᠠᠣ ᡩᠠᠮᡠ ᠰᡳᠨᡳ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠪᡝ ᡥᡝᠨᡩᡠᠮᠪᡳ ᡩᡝᡵᡝ	ᡨᠠᠴᡳᡴᡳ ᠰᡝᠴᡳ ᡨᡝᡨᡝᠨᡩᡝᡵᡝ᠈ ᠪᡳ ᠨᡝᡴᡠᠯᡝᡶᡳ ᠰᡳᠮᠪᡝ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠣᡴᡳᠨᡳ ᠰᡝᠮᠪᡳᡴᠠᡳ

Sir, I shall never forget your kindness, and shall not fail to repay it handsomely.

Senior. What are you talking about? you are one of us, are you not? My only fear would have been that you were not anxious to learn; but, since you are willing, I shall be only too glad to contribute to your success.

ainaha seme: certainly
baili: kindness
be: accusative affix
onggorakū: Fut. (5) of onggombi to forget, with akū not
urunakū: must
ujeleme: Ger. (3) of ujelembi to make heavy, to increase: increasingly
karulaki: Subj. (7) of karulambi to repay
ainu: why?
uttu: thus
gisurembi: to speak
si: thou
aika: perhaps

gurun empire	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	foreigner, with interrogative o
gūwao other

damu: only
sini: gen. of si thou
tacirakū: Fut. (5) of tacimbi to learn, with akū not.
be: accusative affix
hendumbi: to speak
dere: final particle expressing a doubt
taciki: Subj (7) of tacimbi to learn
seci: Cond. (6) of sembi to say, to be willing
tetendere: supposing
bi: I
nekulefi: Past Ger. (8) of nekulembi to be useful
simbe: acc. of si thou
niyalma: man
okini: Opt. (15) of ombi to make
sembikai: to say, with kai, final particle

1	2	3
ᡴᠠᡵᡠᠯᠠᡴᡳ ᠰᡝᡵᡝᠩᡤᡝ ᠠᡳ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ᠈ ᠮᡠᠰᡝᡳ ᡩᠣᠯᠣ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝᠴᡳ	ᠣᠮᠪᡳᠣ᠈ ᡨᡠᡨᡨᡠ ᠣᠴᡳ᠈ ᠪᡳ ᡥᡠᡴᡧᡝᡥᡝ ᠰᡝᠮᡝ ᠸᠠᠵᡳᡵᠠᡴᡡ᠈	ᡩᠠᠮᡠ ᡥᡝᠩᡴᡳᡧᡝᠮᡝ ᠪᠠᠨᡳᡥᠠ ᠪᡠᡵᡝ ᡩᠠᠪᠠᠯᠠ ᡤᡝᠯᡳ ᠠᡳᠰᡝᡵᡝ᠉

Talk of handsome return, indeed! people as intimate as you and I are should never use such language to one another.

Junior. Well, sir, if that’s the way of it, I am sure I feel extremely obliged. I have only to make you my best bow, and I shall say no more.

karulaki: Subj. (7) of karulambi to repay
serengge: Verbal Noun (21) of sembi to say: that which you said
ai: what?
gisun: word, speech
musei: gen. of muse we, we two
dolo: interior, in the family
gisureci: Cond. (6) of gisurembi to speak
ombio: to be, can, may, with interrogative o: will that do?
tuttu: thus
oci: Cond. (6) of ombi to be
bi: I
hukšehe: Pret. (4) of hukšembi to be thankful
seme: Inf. or Ger. (3) of sembi to say
wajirakū: Fut. (5) of wajimbi to end, with akū not: infinitely
damu: only
hengkišeme: Inf. or Ger. (3) of hengkišembi to prostrate oneself
baniha: thanks
bure: Fut. (5) of bumbi to give
dabala: only
geli: besides
ai: what?
sere: Fut. (5) of sembi to say

1	2	3	4
ᠠᡤᡝ ᠰᡳᠨᡳ ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ᠈ ᠠᡳ ᡧᠣᠯᠣ ᡩᡝ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᡥᠠ᠈ ᠮᡠᡩᠠᠨ ᡤᠠᡳᡵᡝᠩᡤᡝ	ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᠪᡳᠮᡝ ᡨᠣᠮᠣᡵᡥᠣᠨ᠈ ᠮᡳᠨᡳ ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᠪᡝ ᠠᡳ ᡩᠠᠪᡠᡶᡳ	ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝᡵᡝ ᠪᠠᠪᡳ᠈ ᠠᡤᡝ ᡤᠣᠰᡳᠮᡝ ᠣᡶ᠋‍ᡳ ᡠᡨᡨᡠ ᡩᠠᠪᠠᠯᡳ ᠮᠠᡴᡨᠠᡵᠪᡳ᠈	ᠮᡳᠨᡳ ᡝᠮᡠ ᡤᡠᠴᡠ ‍ᡳ ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᠰᠠᡳᠨ᠈

II. Senior. Why, when did you find, time to learn all the Manchu you know sir? Your pronunciation is good and you speak quite intelligibly.

Junior. Oh, sir, you are too complimentary. My Manchu does not amount to anything. There’s a friend of mine who really does talk well;

age: elder brother, sir
sini: thy
manju: Manchu
gisun: word, speech
ai: what?
šolo: leisure
de: in
taciha: Pret. (4) of tacimbi to learn
mudan: pronunciation
gairengge: Verbal Noun (21) of gaimbi to take, to obtain
sain: good
bime: Ger. (3) of bimbi to be
tomorhon: clear
mini: my
manju: Manchu
gisun: word, speech
be: accusative affix
ai: what?
dabufi: Past. Ger. (8) of dabumbi to count
gisurere: Fut. Part. of gisurembi to speak
babi: from ba place and bi it is
age: elder brother, sir
gosime: Ger. (3) of gosimbi to love
ofi: Past Gerund (8) of ombi to be
uttu: thus
dabali: excessively
maktara: Fut. (5) of maktambi to praise
mini: my
emu: one
gucu: friend
i: genitive affix
manju: Manchu
gisun: word, speech
sain: good

1	2	3	4
ᡤᡝᡨᡠᡴᡝᠨ ᠪᡳᠮᡝ ᡩᠠᠴᡠᠨ᠈ ᠮᠠᠵᡳᡤᡝ ᠨᡳᡴᠠᠨ ᠮᡠᡩᠠᠨ ᠠᡴᡡ᠈ ᡠᠮᡝᠰᡳ	ᡠᡵᡝᡥᡝᠪᡳ᠈ ᡨᡠᡨᡨᡠ ᠪᡳᠮᡝ ᡧᠠᠨ ᡤᡝᠯᡳ ᡶᡝ᠈ ᡨᡝᡵᡝ ᡨᡝᠨᡳ ᠮᠠᠩᡤᠠ	ᠰᡝᠴᡳ ᠣᠮᠪᡳ᠈ ᡨᡝᡵᡝ ᠰᡳᠨᠴᡳ ᠠᠨᡨᠠᡴᠠ᠈ ᠪᡳ ᠠᡩᠠᡵᠠᠮᡝ ᡳᠨᡩᡝ ᡩᡠᡳᠪᡠᠯᡝᠴᡳ	ᠣᠮᠪᡳᠨᡳ᠈ ᡶᡠᡥᠠᠯᡳ ᡨᡝᡩᡝ ᠪᠠᡴᠴᡳᠨ ᠸᠠᡴᠠ᠈

He is thoroughly at home in the language—intelligible, fluent, and speaks without a particle of Chinese accent, he is quite proficient. Then, besides, he has such a stock of words and phrases. Now, that is what one may call a good scholar, if you please

Senior. How does he compare with you?

Junior. Me! I should never venture to compare myself with him; I am as far from being his match

getuken: intelligible
bime: Ger. (3) of bimbi to be
dacun: quick, fluent
majige: little
nikan: Chinese
mudan: pronunciation
akū: not
umesi: very
urehebi: Indef. Past (10) of urembi to be ripe, proficient
tuttu: thus
bime: Ger. (3) of bimbi to be
šan: ear
geli: further
fe: old, the meaning is: he has heard much old language
tere: he
teni: high, with adverbial affix i
mangga: difficult, qualified
seci: Cond. (6) of sembi to say, to call
ombi: to be
tere: he
sinci: from si thou and ci from, to express the comparative
antaka: how?
bi: I
adarame: how?
inde: dat. of i he: to him
duibuleci: Cond. (6) of duilembi to compare
ombini: to be, with interrogative ni: would that do?
fuhali: altogether
tede: dat. of tere he
bakcin: rival, match
waka: not

1	2	3	4
ᠠᠪᡴᠠ ᠨᠠ ‍ᡳ ᡤᡝᠰᡝ ᠰᠠᠨᡩᠠᠯᠠᠪᡠᡥᠠᠪᡳ᠈ ᡨᡠᡵᡤᡠᠨ ᠠᡳ ᠰᡝᠴᡳ᠈ ᡳᠨᡳ	ᡨᠠᠴᡳᡥᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᡧᡠᠮᡳᠨ᠈ ᠪᠠᡥᠠᠨᠠᡥᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᠯᠠᠪᡩᡠ᠈ ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝᡩᡝ ᠠᠮᡠᡵᠠᠨ᠈	ᡨᡝᡨᡝᠯᡝ ᡥᠣᠨᠣ ᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᠴᡳ ᡥᠣᡴᠣᠪᡠᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᡥᡡᠯᠠᠮᠪᡳ᠈ ᡤᠠᠯᠠ ᠴᡳ	ᠠᠯᠵᠠᠪᡠᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᡨᡠᠸᠠᠮᠪᡳ᠈ ᡳᠮᠪᡝ ᠠᠮᠴᠠᡴᡳ ᠰᡝᠴᡳ ᠶᠠᠯᠠ ᠮᠠᠩᡤᠠ᠈

as the heavens are from the earth.

Senior. What is the reason of that?

Junior. Oh, he has been much longer at it, and knows a great deal more. Then he is very studious; he has been committing to memory steadily ever since he began, without stopping; the book is never out of his hand. I should have trouble enough to come up to him.

abka: heaven
na: earth
i: genitive affix
gese: equal
sandalabuhabi: Ind. Past. (10) of sandalabumbi to be separated.
turgun: reason
ai: what?
seci: Cond. (6) of sembi to say, call
ini: his
tacihangge: verbal noun (21) of tacimbi to learn
šumin: deep
bahanahangge: Verbal Noun (21) of bahanambi to comprehend
labdu: much
bithe: book
de: in, for
amuran: having a passion for
tetele: till now
hono: also
angga: mouth
ci: from
hokoburakū: Fut. (5) of hokobumbi to leave off, with akū not
hūlambi: to read, study
gala: hand
ci: from
aljaburakū: Fut. of aljabumbi to separate, with akū not
tuwambi: to see, to look
imbe: him
amcaki: Subj. (7) of amcambi to reach
seci: Cond. of sembi to say
yala: certainly
mangga: difficult

1	2	3	4
ᠠᡤᡝ ᠰᡳᠨᡳ ᡝᡵᡝ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ᠈ ᠮᠠᠵᡳᡤᡝ ᡨᠠᡧᠠᡵᠠᠪᡠᡥᠠᡴᡡ ᠰᡝᠮᡝᠣ᠈ ᡩᠣᠨᠵᡳᠴᡳ ᡥᡳᠩ ᠰᡝᡵᡝ	ᠣᠴᡳ᠈ ᡥᠠᡩᠠ ᡩᡝ ᡥᠠᡶᡠᠮᠪᡳ ᠰᡝᡥᡝᠪᡳ᠉ ᡨᡝᡵᡝ ᡳᠨᡠ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᡶᡳ ᠪᠠᡥᠠᠨᠠᡥᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᡩᠠᠪᠠᠯᠠ	ᡠᠮᠠᡳ ᠪᠠᠨᠵᡳᠨᠵᡳᡶᡳ ᠪᠠᡥᠠᠨᠠᡥᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᠸᠠᡴᠠ ᡴᠠᡳ᠈ ᠮᡠᠰᡝ ᡨᡝᡩᡝ ᡳᠰᡳᡵᠠᡴᡡᠩᡤᡝ	ᠶᠠ ᠪᠠ᠈

Senior. Nay, my young friend, I think you are making a slight mistake. Don’t you remember what the proverb says: “If you are constant, you will penetrate a rock”? What he knows he knows only because he has learnt it; it has not come to him by intuition. And are we in any way otherwise constituted? not at all!

age: elder brother, sir
sini: thy
ere: this
gisun: word, speech
majige: little
tašarabuhakū: Pret. (4) of tašarabumbi to cause an error, with akū not
semeo: Inf. or Ger. (3) of sembi to say, to think, with interrogative o
danjici: Cond. (6) of donjimbi to hear
hing: with sembi to be careful, constant
sere: Fut. (5) of sembi to say
oci: Cond. (6) of ombi to be: if
hada: rock
de: in
hafumbi: to penetrate
sehebi: Indef. Past (10) of sembi to say
tere: he
inu: yes, also
tacifi: Past Ger. (8) of tacimbi to learn
bahanahangge: Verbal Noun (21) of bahanambi to comprehend
dabala: only
umai: not at all
banjinjigi: Past Ger. (8) of banjinjimbi to come into life
bahanahangge: Verbal Noun (21) bahanambi to comprehend
waka: not
kai: is, final particle
muse: we (two)
tede: dat. of tere he: to him
isirakūngge: Verbal Noun (21) of isimbi to arrive, with akū not
ya: whatsoever
ba: place

1	2	3	4
ᡳ ᠠᡳ ᡥᠠᠴᡳᠨ ‍ᡳ ᠪᠠᡥᠠᠨᠠᡥᠠ ᡠᡵᡝᡥᡝ ᠣᡴᡳᠨᡳ᠈ ᠮᡠᠰᡝ ᡩᠠᠮᡠ	ᠮᡠᠵᡳᠯᡝᠨ ᠪᡝ ᡨᡝᠩ ᠰᡝᠮᡝ ᠵᠠᡶᠠᡶᡳ᠈ ᡤᡡᠨᡳᠨ ᡤᡳᡵᡴᡡᡶᡳ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᠴᡳ	ᡠᡩᡠ ᡨᡝᡵᡝ ᡨᡝᠨ ᡩᡝ ᡳᠰᡳᠨᠠᠮᡝ ᠮᡠᡨᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠪᡳᠴᡳᠪᡝ	ᡳᠨᡠ ᡠᡵᡠᠨᠠᡴᡡ ᡥᠠᠮᡳᠨᠠᠮᠪᡳᡩᡝᡵᡝ᠉

Well, then, no matter how exact or practised a speaker he may be, all we have to do is to make up our mind and apply ourselves to the language; and if we don’t quite reach the point he has attained, we shall not be very far behind him, I suspect.

i: he
ai: what?
hacin: kind
i: genitive affix
bahanaha: Pret. (4) of bahanambi to comprehend
urehe: Pret. (4) of urembi to be proficient
okini: Opt. (15) of ombi to be, may
muse: we
damu: only
mujilen: heart
be: accusative affix
teng: with sembi to be firm
seme: Ger. (3) of sembi to say
jafafi: Past Ger. (8) of jafambi to take
gūnin: thought
girkūfi: Past Ger. (8) of girkūmbi to exert
tacici: Cond. (6) of tacimbi to learn
udu: although
tere: that
ten: hight
de: to, at
isiname: Ger. (3) of isinambi to arrive
muterakū: Fut. (5) of mutembi to be able, with akū not
bicibe: Advers. (13) of bimbi to be
inu: yes, certainly
urunakū: without doubt
haminambi: to come near
dere: final particle expressing a presumption.

1	2	3	4
ᠰᡳ ᠨᡳᡴᠠᠨ ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝ ᠪᠠᡥᠠᠨᠠᡵᠠ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᡴᠠᡳ᠈ ᡠᠪᠠᠯᡳᠶᠠᠮᠪᡠᡵᡝ ᠪᡝ	ᡨᠠᠴᡳᠴᡳ ᡠᠮᡝᠰᡳ ᠵᠠ ᡩᠠᠪᠠᠯᠠ᠈ ᡤᡡᠨᡳᠨ ᡤᡳᡵᡴᡡᡶᡳ ᡤᡳᠶᠠᠯᠠᠨ	ᠯᠠᡴᠴᠠᠨ ᠠᡴᡡ ᡝᠮᡠ ᠠᠨᠠᠨ ᡳ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᠮᡝ ᠣᡥᠣᡩᡝ ᠵᡠᠸᡝ ᡳᠯᠠᠨ	ᠠᠨᡳᠶᠠ ᡳ ᠰᡳᡩᡝᠨᡩᡝ

III. Senior. As to becoming a translator of Manchu, you are a Chinese scholar, and you can have no difficulty in learning to translate. All you need is an exclusive devotion of your mind to the one subject. Don’t let anything interfere with your studies, and let these be progressive; and in two or three years,

si: thou
nikan: Chinese
bithe: book
bahanara: Fut. Part. (5) of bahanambi to comprehend
niyalma: man
kai: is, final particle
ubaliyambure: Fut. (5) of ubaliyambumbi to translate
be: accusative affix
tacici: Cond. (6) of tacimbi to learn
umesi: very
ja: easy
dabala: only
gūnin: thought
girkūfi: Past Ger. (8) of girkūmbi to exert
giyalan: interval
lakcan: interruption
akū: not
emu: one; emu anani one after the other without interruption
tacime: Ger. (3) of tacimbi to learn
ohode: supposing, if
juwe: two
ilan: three
aniya: year
i: genitive affix
siden: middle
de: in

1	2	3	4
ᡳᠨᡳ ᠴᡳᠰᡠᡳ ᡩᡠᠪᡝ ᡩᠠ ᡨᡠᠴᡳᠮᠪᡳ᠈ ᠠᡳᡴᠠ ᡝᠮᡠ ᡳᠨᡝᠩᡤᡳ ᡶᡳᠶᠠᡴᡳᠶᠠᡵᠠ᠈	ᠵᡠᠸᠠᠨ ᡳᠨᡝᠩᡤᡳ ᡧᠠᡥᡡᡵᠠᡵᠠ ᠠᡩᠠᠯᡳ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᠴᡳ᠈ ᡠᡨᠠᡥᡳ ᠣᡵᡳᠨ ᠠᠨᡳᠶᠠ ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝ	ᡥᡡᠯᠠᡥᠠ ᠰᡝᠮᡝ᠈ ᡳᠨᡠ ᠮᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᡴᠠᡳ᠉	ᠠᡤᡝ ᠮᡳᠨᡳ ᡠᠪᠠᠯᡳᠶᠠᠮᠪᡠᡥᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᠪᡝ ᡨᡠᠸᠠᡶᡳ ᠮᠠᠵᡳᡤᡝ ᡩᠠᠰᠠᡨᠠᡵᠠᠣ᠈

as a matter of course, you will be well on your way. If you glow for one day and are cold for ten days in your study, you may read for 20 years, but it will come to nothing.

IV. Junior. Will you do me the favour to look over these translations, sir, and make a few corrections?

ini cisui: as a matter of course
dube: point, end, extreme
da: beginning, dube da the very beginning
tucimbi: to come out
aika: if
emu: one
inenggi: day
fiyakiyara: Fut. (5) of fiyakiyambi to glow
juwan: ten
inenggi: day
šahūrara: Fut. (5) of šahūrambi to be cold
adali: like, similar to
tacici: Cond. (6) of tacimbi to learn
utahi: then
orin: twenty
aniya: year
bithe: book
hūlaha: Pret. (4) of hūlambi to read, study
seme: Ger. (3) of sembi to say
inu: yes, truly
mangga: difficult
kai: is, final particle

age: elder brother, sir
mini: my
ubaliyambuhangge: Verbal Noun (21) of ubaliyambumbi to translate
be: accusative affix
tuwafi: Past Ger. (8) of tuwambi to look at
majige: little
dasatarao: Fut. (5) of dasatambi to correct with o implying a request.

1	2	3	4
ᠰᡳᠨᡳ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᡥᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᠯᠠᠪᡩᡠ ᠨᠣᠩᡤᡳᠪᡠᡥᠠ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᡨᠣᠮᡝ ᡳᠵᡳᠰᡥᡡᠨ ᡥᡝᡵᡤᡝᠨ	ᠠᠨᠠᠮᡝ ᡨᠣᠮᠣᡵᡥᠣᠨ ᠮᠠᠵᡳᡤᡝ ᠴᡳᠯᠴᡳᠨ ᠠᡴᡡ ᠰᡳᠮᠨᡝᠴᡳ ᠰᡝᡶᡝᡵᡝᡥᡝᡳ ᠪᠠᡥᠠᠮᠪᡳ	ᡝᡵᡝ ᠮᡠᡩᠠᠨ ᡠᠪᠠᠯᡳᠶᠠᠮᠪᡠᡵᡝ ᠪᡝ ᠰᡳᠮᠨᡝᡵᡝ ᡩᡝ ᡤᡝᠪᡠ ᠠᠯᡳᠪᡠᡥᠠᠣ	ᠠᡴᡡᠨ ᠰᡳᠮᠨᡝᠴᡳ ᠣᠴᡳ ᡝᠰᡳ ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᠣᠴᡳ

Senior. Oh, come, you really have made very great progress; every sentence runs as it should; every word is clear; I have not a fault to find. If you go up for your examination, success is in your own hands.

V. Senior. Have you returned yourself as a candidate at these examinations that are coming off now?

Junior. I should be glad enough to stand,

sini: thy
tacihangge: Verbal Noun (21) of tacimbi to learn
labdu: much
nonggibuha: Pret. (4) of nonggibumbi to make progress
gisun: word, speech
tome: all
ijishūn: proper
hergen: letter
aname: singly
tomorhon: clear
majige: little
cilcin: fault
akū: not
simneci: Cond. (6) of simnembi to be examined
seferehei: Past Part. (4) of seferembi to take in the hand, with i, which makes the word an adverb
bahambi: to obtain.

ere: this
mudan: time
ubaliyambure: Fut. Part. (5) of ubaliyambumbi to translate
be: accusative affix
simnere: Fut. Part. (5) of simnembi to be examined
de: in
gebu: name
alibuhao: Pret. (4) of alibumbi to offer, with interrogative o
akūn: or not?
simneci: Cond. (6) of simnembi to be examined
oci: Cond. (6) of ombi to be
esi: certainly
sain: good
oci: Cond. (6) of ombi to be

1	2	3	4
ᡩᠠᠮᡠ ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝᡳ ᡧᡠᠰᠠᡳ ᠠᡳᠨᠠᡥᠠᡳ ᠣᠮᠪᡳᠨᡳ ᠸᡝᡳ ᡴᠣᠣᠯᡳ ᠰᡳᠨᡳ ᡤᡝᠰᡝᠩᡤᡝ	ᠵᠠᡴᡡᠨ ᡤᡡᠰᠠ ᡤᡝᠮᡠ ᠰᡳᠮᠨᡝᠴᡳ ᠣᠮᠪᡳᠮᡝ ᠰᡳᠨᡳ ᠪᡝᠶᡝ ᡨᡝᡳᠯᡝ	ᠰᡳᠮᠨᡝᠪᡠᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᡩᠣᡵᠣ ᠪᡳᠣ ᡨᡝᡵᡝ ᠠᠩᡤᠠᠯᠠ ᠵᡠᡵᡤᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᡴᡡᡳ	ᠵᡠᠰᡝ ᡤᡝᠮᡠ ᠣᠵᠣᡵᠣ ᠪᠠᡩᡝ

but I am afraid that, being a B. A., I am not qualified.

Senior. What? when any bannerman can go up, do you mean to say that a man of your attainments would not be allowed to? Nonsense! why, even the boys from public schools may stand;

damu: only
bithei: book, with gen. affix i (文 wén)
šusai: B. A. (秀才 hsiu t‘sai)
ainahai: how should it?
ombini: to be, it will do, with interrogative particle ni
wei: whose?
kooli: custom
sini: thy
gesengge: similar
jakūn: eight
gūsa: banner
gemu: all
simneci: Cond. (6) of simnembi to be examined
ombime: Ger. I (16) of ombi to be, may
sini: thy
beye: body, self
teile: only
simneburakū: Fut. Pass. (5) of simnembi to be examined, with akū not: will not be allowed to be examined
doro: rule
bio: is, with interrogative o
tere: that
anggala: not only
jurgangga: public (義 i)
tacikūi: school, with gen. affix. i
juse: plural of jui son, child, scholar
gemu: all
ojoro: Fut. (5) of ombi to be, may
bade: when

1	2	3	4
ᡧᡠᠰᠠᡳ ᠪᡝ ᠠᡳ ᡥᡝᠨᡩᡠᡵᡝ ᠰᡳᠮᠨᡝᠴᡳ ᠣᠮᡝ ᠣᡶᡳ ᠮᡳᠨᡳ	ᡩᡝᠣ ᡝᡵᡝ ᠰᡳᡩᡝᠨᡩᡝ ᡨᡝᠨᡳ ᡥᠠᠴᡳᡥᡳᠶᠠᠮᡝ ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝ	ᡥᡡᠯᠠᠮᠪᡳᡴᠠᡳ ᡥᡡᡩᡠᠨ ᡤᡝᠪᡠ ᠶᠠᠪᡠᠪᡠ ᠨᠠᠰᡥᡡᠨ ᠪᡝ	ᡠᠮᡝ ᡠᡶᠠᡵᠠᠪᡠᡵᡝ

and if so, how should a B. A. not be qualified? my younger brother is now working as hard as he can at Manchu for the little time that remains before he has to go up. Don’t you throw away the opportunity. Add your name to the list at once.

šusai: B. A.
be: accusative affix
ai: what?
hendure: Fut. (5) of hendumbi to speak
simneci: Cond. (6) of simnembi to be examined
ome: Inf. (3) of ombi to be, may
ofi: Past Ger. (8) of ombi to be, because
mini: my
deo: younger brother
ere: this
siden: interval
de: to, in
teni: highly
hacihiyame: Ger. (3) of hacihiyambi to exert oneself
manju: Manchu
bithe: book
hūlambikai: to read, with kai final particle
hūdun: quickly
gebu: name
yabubu: Imp. Pass. (1) of yabumbi to go: cause to go, forward
nashūn: opportunity
be: accusative affix
ume: do not
ufarabure: Fut. (5) of ufarabumbi to neglect

1	2	3	4
ᠰᡳᠨᡳ ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠᡵᠠᡵᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᠮᠠᠵᡳᡤᡝ ᠮᡠᡵᡠ ᡨᡠᠴᡳᡴᡝᠪᡳ ᠠᡳᠪᡳᡩᡝ ᠪᡳ	ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠᡳ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝᡵᡝ ᠪᡝ ᡠᠯᡥᡳᡵᡝ ᡤᠣᠵᡳᠮᡝ ᠮᡳᠨᡳ ᠪᡝᠶᡝ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝᠮᡝ	ᠣᡥᠣᡩᡝ ᠣᡵᠣᠨ ᡠᠨᡩᡝ ᡤᡡᠸᠠᡳ ᠠᡩᠠᠯᡳ ᡶᡳᠶᡝᠯᡝᠨ ᡶᡳᠶᡝᠯᡝᠨ ‍ᡳ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝᠮᡝ	ᠮᡠᡨᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠰᡝᡵᡝ ᠠᠩᡤᠠᠯᠠ ᡝᠮᡠ ᠰᡳᡵᠠᠨ ‍ᡳ ᡩᡠᡳᠨ ᠰᡠᠨᠵᠠ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ

VI. Senior. Well, I hear that you have made such way in Manchu, that you are beginning to speak it quite correctly.

Junior. Nonsense! I understand it, certainly, when I hear it spoken, but it will be sometime yet before I can speak it myself. It is not only that I can’t go right through with a piece of conversation of any length like other people, but I can’t even string half a dozen sentences together.

sini: thy
manjurarangge: Verbal Noun (21) of manjurambi to speak Manchu
majige: little
muru: appearance
tucikebi: Indef. Past (10) of tucimbi to come forth
aibide: how?
bi: I
niyalmai: man, with gen. affix i
gisurere: Fut. Part. (5) of gisurembi to speak
be: accusative affix
ulhire: Fut. (5) of ulhimbi to understand
gojime: only
mini: my
beye: body, self
gisureme: Ger. (3) of gisurembi to speak
ohode: when
oron: interval, place
unde: not yet, oron unde not yet time, too early
gūwai: other, with gen. affix i
adali: like, similar
fiyelen: chapter, piece, fiyelen fiyeleni connectedly
gisureme: Inf. (3) of gisurembi to speak
muterakū: Fut. (3) of mutembi to be able, with akū not
sere: Fut. (5) of sembi to say
anggala: not only
emu: one
siran: continuation
i: adverbial particle, emu sirani uninterruptedly
duin: four
sunja: five
gisun: word

1	2	3	4
ᡤᡝᠮᡠ ᠰᡳᡵᠠᠪᡠᠮᡝ ᠮᡠᡨᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᡨᡝᡵᡝ ᠠᠩᡤᠠᠯᠠ ᡥᠣᠨᠣ ᡝᠮᡠ ᠠᠯᡩᡠᠩᡤᠠ	ᠪᠠᠪᡳ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝᡵᡝ ᠣᠩᡤᠣᠯᠣ ᠪᠠᡳᠪᡳ ᡨᠠᡧᠠᡵᠠᠪᡠᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠴᠠᠯᠠᠪᡠᡵᠠᡴᡡ	ᠰᡝᠮᡝ ᡨᠠᡨᡥᡡᠨᠵᠠᠮᡝ ᡤᡝᠯᡥᡠᠨ ᠠᡴᡡ ᡴᡝᠩᠰᡝ ᠯᠠᠰᡥᠠ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡ	ᡠᡨᡨᡠ ᡴᠠᡳ ᠮᡳᠮᠪᡝ ᠠᡩᠠᡵᠠᠮᡝ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝ ᠰᡝᠮᠪᡳ ᠪᡳ ᡳᠨᡠ ᡠᠰᠠᡴᠠ

Then there is another odd thing I do: whenever I am going to begin, without being the least able to say why, I become so alarmed about mistakes that I dare not go on without hesitating; now, so long as this continues to be the case, how am I to make a speaker? Indeed, so far from considering myself one, I quite despair.

gemu: all
sirabume: Inf. (3) of sirabumbi to connect
muterakū: Fut. (5) of mutembi to be able, with akū not
tere: that
anggala: not only
hono: further
emu: one
aldungga: extraordinary, strange
babi: place, with bi is
gisurere: Fut. Part (5) of gisurembi to speak
onggolo: before
baibi: in vain
tašaraburakū: Fut. (5) of tašarabumbi to make mistakes, with akū not
calaburakū: Fut. (5) of calabumbi to err, with akū not
seme: Inf. (3) of sembi to say
tathūnjame: Inf. (3) tathūnjambi to doubt, to be incertain, to be alarmed
gelhun akū: without fear, to dare
kengse lasha: constantly
gisurerakū: Fut. (5) of gisurembi to speak, with akū not
uttu: thus
kai: it is
mimbe: acc. of I
adarame: how?
gisure: Imp. (1) of gisurembi to speak
sembi: to say, to call
bi: I
inu: yes, indeed
usaka: in despair

1	2	3	4
ᡤᡡᠨᡳᠴᡳ ᠠᡳ ᡥᠠᠴᡳᠨ ᡳ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᡥᠠ ᠰᡝᠮᡝ ᡳᠨᡠ ᡝᡵᡝ ᡥᡡᠮᠠᠨ ᡩᠠᠪᠠᠯᠠ ᠨᠣᠩᡤᡳᠪᡠᡵᡝ	ᠠᡳᠪᡳ ᡝᡵᡝ ᡤᡝᠮᡠ ᠰᡳᠨᡳ ᡠᡵᡝᡥᡝᡴᡡ ᡥᠠᡵᠠᠨ ᠪᡳ ᠰᡳᠨᡩᡝ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᠪᡠᡵᡝ ᠶᠠᠶᠠ	ᠸᡝᠪᡝ ᠰᡝᠮᡝ ᡠᠮᡝ ᠪᠣᡩᠣᡵᠣ ᡩᠠᠮᡠ ᡠᠴᠠᡵᠠᡥᠠ ᡠᠴᠠᡵᠠᡥᠠ ᠪᡝ ᡨᡠᠸᠠᠮᡝ	ᠠᠮᠴᠠᡨᠠᠮᡝ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝ

of ever learning to speak. I say to myself that if with all my studying I have not got farther than this, I shall certainly never be a proficient.

Senior. This is all mere want of practice. Listen to me. Whenever you meet a man, no matter who, (that can talk Manchu), at him at once, and talk away with him.

gūnici: Cond. (6) of gūnimbi to think
ai: what?
hacin: kind
i: genitive affix
taciha: Pret. (4) of tacimbi to learn
seme: Inf. (3) of sembi to say
inu: indeed
ere: this
hūman: ability
dabala: only
nonggibure: Fut. (5) of nonggibumbi to make progress
aibi: how could?
ere: this
gemu: all
sini: thy
urehekū: Pret. (4) of urembi to practice, with akū not
haran: reason
bi: I
sinde: dat. of si thou
tacibure: Fut. (5) of tacibumbi to teach
yaya: whoever
webe: acc. of we who
seme: Inf. (3) of sembi to say
ume: not, do not
bodoro: Fut. (5) of bodombi to consider
damu: only
ucaraha: Pret. (4) of ucarambi to meet
ucaraha: Part. Pret. (4) of ucarambi to meet
be: sign of accusative
tuwame: Ger. (3) of tawambi to try
amcatame: Ger. (3) of amcatambi to address one against his will
gisure: Fut. (5) of gisurembi to speak

1	2	3	4
ᠵᠠᡳ ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝᡩᡝ ᡧᡠᠩᡴᡝ ᠰᡝᡶᡠ ᠪᡝ ᠪᠠᡳᡶᡳ ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝ ᡥᡡᠯᠠ	ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᡩᡝ ᠮᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᡤᡠᠴᡠᠰᡝ ᡩᡝ ᠠᡩᠠᠨᠠᡶᡳ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝ	ᡳᠨᡝᠩᡤᡳᡩᠠᡵᡳ ᡥᡡᠯᠠᠴᡳ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᡝᠵᡝᠮᠪᡳ ᡝᡵᡳᠨᡩᠠᡵᡳ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝᠴᡳ	ᡳᠯᡝᠩᡤᡠ ᡠᡵᡝᠮᠪᡳ ᡠᡨᡨᡠ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᠮᡝ ᠣᡥᠣᡩᡝ ᠮᠠᠩᡤᠠᡳ ᡝᠮᡠ ᠵᡠᠸᡝ

You must go and take lessons of competent professors of the language as well, you know; and if you have any friends who are good Manchu scholars, you should be for ever talking to them. Read some Manchu every day, and talk incessantly, until the habit of speaking comes quite naturally to the mouth. If you follow this rule in a year or two at the farthest

jai: secondly
bithede: book. with de in
šungke: well read
sefu: teacher (師傅 shih-fu)
be: accusative affix
baifi: Past Gerund (8) of baimbi to seek
bithe: book
hūla: Imp. (1) of hūlambi to read
manju: Manchu
gisun: word, speech
de: in
mangga: proficient
gucuse: plur. of gucu friend
de: in, with
adanafi: Past Gerund (8) of adanambi to go to, to be together
gisure: Fut. (5), here Imp. of gisurembi to speak
inenggidari: daily
hūlaci: Cond. (6) of hūlambi to read
gisun: word, speech
ejembi: to remember
erindari: always
gisureci: Cond. (6) of gisurembi to speak
ilenggu: tongue
urembi: to be accustomed
uttu: thus
tacime: Inf. (3) of tacimbi to learn
ohode: when
manggai: scarcely
emu: one
juwe: two

1	2	3	4
ᠠᠨᡳᠶᠠ ᡳ ᠰᡳᡩᡝᠨᡩᡝ ᡳᠨᡠ ᠴᡳᠰᡠᡳ ᡤᡡᠨᡳᠨ ᡳ ᠴᡳᡥᠠᡳ ᠠᠩᡤᠠᡳ ᡳᠴᡳ	ᡨᠠᠩ ᠰᡝᠮᠪᡳᡴᠠᡳ ᠮᡠᡨᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠵᠠᠯᡳᠨ ᡤᡝᠯᡳ ᠠᡳᠰᡝᠮᡝ ᠵᠣᠪᠣᠮᠪᡳ ᠨᡳ᠉	ᠠᠪᠰᡳ ᠶᠣᡥᠠ ᠪᡳᡥᡝ ᠪᡳ ᡝᡵᡤᡳ ᡝᠮᡠ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠮᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠᡳ ᠪᠣᠣᡩᡝ	ᡤᡝᠨᡝᡥᡝ ᠪᡳᡥᡝ ᡝᡵᡝ ᡳᠯᡩᡠᠨ ᡩᡝ ᠮᡳᠨᡳ ᠪᠣᠣᡩᡝ ᡩᠠᡵᡳᡶᡳ ᠮᠠᠵᡳᡤᡝ ᡨᡝᡴᡳ

you will speak it without effort; so now don’t despair any more.

VII. Junior. Where are you from, sir, may I ask?

Senior. I have been to visit a relation of mine who lives down yonder. Won’t you step in and sit down on your way, sir?

aniya: year
i: genitive affix
sidende: interval, with de in
inu: yes, certainly; inu cisui naturally
gūnin: thought
i: sign of genitive
cihai: will, with adverbial affix i, gūnin i cihai as you like
anggai: mouth, with genitive affix
ici: in accordance
tang sembi: to speak without interruption
kai: final particle
muterakū: Fut. (5) of mutembi to be able, with akū not
jalin: as regards
geli: again
aiseme: how could it?
jobombi: to apprehend, to fear
ni: interrogative particle.

absi: why?
yoha: Pret. (4) of yombi to go, to walk
bihe: Pret. (4) of bimbi to be
bi: I
ergi: this side
emu: one
niyamangga: related
niyalmai: man, with genitive affix i
boode: house, with de in
genehe: Pret. (4) of genembi to go
bihe: Pret. (4) of bimbi to be
ere: this
ildun: opportunity
de: in
mini: my
boode: house, with de in, to
darifi: Past Gerund (8) of darimbi to pass
majige: little
teki: Subj. Present (7) of tembi to sit down.

1	2	3	4
ᠠᡤᡝ ᠰᡳ ᡠᠪᠠᡩᡝ ᡨᡝᡥᡝᠪᡳᠣ ᡳᠨᡠ ᠵᠠᡴᠠᠨ ᡤᡠᡵᡳᠨᠵᡳᡥᡝ ᡠᡨᡨᡠ ᠣᠴᡳ	ᠮᡠᠰᡝᡳ ᡨᡝᡥᡝᠩᡤᡝ ᡤᡳᠶᠠᠨᠠᡴᡡ ᡠᡩᡠ ᡤᠣᡵᡠ ᠰᠠᡥᠠ ᠪᡳᠴᡳ ᠠᡳᡶᡳᠨᡳ ᠰᡳᠮᠪᡝ	ᡨᡠᠸᠠᠨᠵᡳᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠪᡳᡥᡝᠣ ᠠᡤᡝ ᠶᠠᠪᡠ ᠠᡳ ᡤᡝᠯᡳ ᠮᡳᠨᡳ ᠪᠣᠣᡩᡝ ᡴᠠᡳ ᠠᡤᡝ	ᠸᡝᠰᡳᡶᡳ ᡨᡝᡴᡳ ᡠᠪᠠᡩᡝ ᡳᠴᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᠰᡳ ᡨᡠᡨᡨᡠ ᡨᡝᡥᡝᡩᡝ ᠪᡳ ᠠᠪᠰᡳ ᡨᡝᠮᠪᡳ

Junior. Do you reside in this neighbourhood, sir?

Senior. Yes, I moved into this house not long ago.

Junior. Oh! indeed, sir; then we are not so very far from each other. If I had been aware that you lived here, I should have called before. Go on, sir, pray (I’ll follow you, if you please).

Senior. What, in my own house? Now, please take the upper seat.

Junior. Thank you, I am very well where I am.

Senior. But if you sit where you are sitting, what place am I to take?

age: elder brother, sir
si: thou
ubade: here
tehebio: Indef. Past. (10) of tembi to sit, to reside, with interrogative o
inu: yes
jakan: lately
gurinjihe: Pret. (4) of gurinjimbi to come to change place
uttu: thus
oci: Cond. (6) of ombi to be
musei: we two, with genitive affix i
tehengge: Verbal Noun (21) of tembi to sit, to reside
giyanakū: far from
udu: how much?
goro: distant
saha: Pret. (4) of sambi to know
bici: Cond. (6) of bimbi to be
aifini: before
simbe: acc. of si thou
tuwanjirakū: Fut. (5) of tawanjimbi to come to see, to call, with akū not
biheo: Pret. (4) of bimbi to be, with interrogative o
age: elder brother, sir
yabu: Imp. (1) of yambumbi to go
ai geli: how could that be?
mini: my
boode: house, with postpos. de in
kai: it is
age: elder brother, sir
wesifi: Past Gerund (8) of wesimbi to ascend
teki: Subj. Pres. (2) of tembi to sit
ubade: here
icangga: convenient
si: thou
tuttu: thus
tehede: seat, with postpos. de in
bi: I
absi: how?
tembi: to sit.

1	2	3	4
ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᡨᡝᠮᡝ ᠵᠠᠪᡩᡠᡥᠠ ᡠᠪᠠᡩᡝ ᡝᠮᡠ ᠨᡳᡴᡝᡵᡝ ᠪᠠᠪᡳ ᠪᠣᠣᡳ ᡠᡵᠰᡝ ᠠᠪᠠ	ᠶᠠᡥᠠ ᡤᠠᠵᡠ ᠠᡤᡝ ᠪᡳ ᡩᠠᠮᠪᠠᡤᡠ ᠣᠮᡳᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᡶᡠᡵᡠᡤᠠᡥᠠᠪᡳ ᡨᡠᡨᡨᡠ	ᠣᠴᡳ ᠴᠠᡳ ᡤᠠᠨᠠ ᠠᡤᡝ ᠴᠠᡳ ᡤᠠᡳᠰᡠ ᡴᠣ ᠠᠪᠰᡳ ᡥᠠᠯᡥᡡᠨ ᡥᠠᠯᡥᡡᠨ ᠣᠴᡳ	ᠮᠠᠵᡳᡤᡝ ᡨᡠᡴᡳᠶᡝᠴᡝᠪᡠ ᡥᡡᠸᠠᠩᡤᡳᠶᠠᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠮᡠᡴᡳᠶᡝᠪᡠᡴᡳᠨᡳ ᠵᡝ ᠪᡠᡩᠠ ᠪᡝ ᡨᡠᠸᠠᠨᠠ

Junior. I have got a seat, thank you; and a seat with a back to it.

Senior. Here! bring a light!

Junior. Not for me, thank you, sir, I can’t smoke; I have a sore mouth.

Senior. Well, then, bring some tea.

Junior. Drink first, then, pray. Oh, isn’t it hot.

Senior. If it is too hot, let it be taken away for a while, that it may get cooler. I am very sorry. Boy, go and see what there is in the kitchen,

sain: good
teme: Inf. (3) of tembi to sit
jabduha: Pre. (4) of jabdumbi to reach one’s aim
ubade: here
emu: one
nikere: Fut. Partic. (5) of nikembi to lean against
babi: place (ba) is (bi)
booi: house, with genitive affix i
urse: those who
aba: how?
yaha: coal
gaju: Imp. (1) of gajimbi to fetch
age: elder brother, sir
bi: I
dambagu: tobacco
omirakū: Fut. (5) of omimbi to eat, to smoke, with akū not
angga: mouth
furugahabi: to have ulcers in the mouth
tuttu: thus
oci: Cond. (6) of ombi to be
cai: tea
gana: Imp. (1) of ganambi to bring
age: elder brother, sir
cai: tea
gaisu: Imp. (1) of gaimbi to take
ko: oh, exclamation of pain
absi: how?
halhūn: hot
halhūn: hot
oci: Cond. (6) of ombi to be
majige: little
tukiyecebu: Imp. (1) of tukiyecebumbi to take away
hūwanggiyarakū: it does not signify
mukiyebukini: Opt. (15) of mukiyebumbi to become cool
je: exclamation of compassion
buda: rice
be: accusative affix
tuwana: Imp. (1) of tuwanambi to go and look after

1	2	3	4
ᠪᡝᠯᡝᠨᡳ ᠪᡳᠰᡳᡵᡝᠩᡤᡝ ᠪᡝ ᡥᠠᠰᠠ ᠪᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᠰᡝ ᠠᡴᡡ ᠠᡤᡝ ᡠᠮᡝ ᠪᡳ	ᡴᡝᠮᡠᠨᡳ ᡤᡡᠸᠠ ᠪᠠᡩᡝ ᡤᡝᠨᡝᡴᡳ ᠰᡝᠮᠪᡳ ᠠᡳᠨᠠᡥᠠᠪᡳ ᠪᡝᠯᡝᠨᡳ ᠪᡳᠰᡳᡵᡝᠩᡤᡝ ᠰᡳᠨᡳ	ᠵᠠᠯᡳᠨ ᡩᠠᡤᡳᠯᠠᡥᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᡤᡝᠯᡳ ᠸᠠᡴᠠ ᠮᠠᠵᡳᡤᡝ ᠵᡝᡶᡳ ᡤᡝᠨᡝᠴᡳᠨᠠ ᠵᠣᠣ ᠪᡳ	ᡝᠮᡤᡝᡵᡳ ᠰᡳᠨᡳ ᠪᠣᠪᡝ ᡨᠠᡴᠠᡥᠠ ᡴᠠᡳ ᡝᠨᠴᡠ ᡳᠨᡝᠩᡤᡳ ᠵᠠᡳ ᠴᠣᡥᠣᠮᡝ ᠵᡳᡶᡳ

and bring quickly whatever is ready.

Junior. No, indeed, sir; do not put yourself to so much trouble. I have still got to go somewhere else.

Senior. But it’s only whatever is ready; nothing is being prepared for you. Do try to eat a little, then you may go.

Junior. Not just now, thank you, sir; but now that I have found out where you live, I’ll come another time

beleni: ready
bisirengge: Verbal Noun (21) of bimbi to be
be: accusative affix
hasa: quickly
banju: Imp. (1) of banjimbi to produce
se: Imp. (1) of sembi to say
akū: no
age: elder brother, sir
ume: do not
bi: I
kemuni: further
gūwa: other
bade: place, with de to
geneki: Subj. Pres. (7) of genembi to go
sembi: to say
ainahabi: how is that?
beleni: ready
bisirengge: Verbal Noun (21) of bimbi to be
sini: thy
jalin: postpos. on account of
dagilahangge: Verbal Noun (21) of dagilambi to prepare
geli: also
waka: not is
majige: little
jefi: Past Ger. (8) of jembi to eat
genecina: Conessive (14) of genembi to go
joo: enough
bi: it is
emgeri: once
sini: thy
boo: house
be: accusative affix
takaha: Pret. (4) of takambi to recognise
kai: it is
encu: different, other
inenggi: day
jai: again
cohome: specially
jifi: Past. Ger. (8) of jimbi to come

1	2	3	4
ᡤᡠᠯᡥᡠᠨ ᡝᠮᡠ ᡳᠨᡝᠩᡤᡳ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝᠮᡝ ᡨᡝᠴᡝᡴᡳ᠉	ᠠᡤᡝ ᠰᡳ ᡳᠨᡝᠩᡤᡳᡩᠠᡵᡳ ᡝᡩᡝᡵᡳ ᠶᠠᠪᡠᡵᡝᠩᡤᡝ ᡤᡝᠮᡠ ᠠᡳᠪᡳᡩᡝ ᡤᡝᠨᡝᠮᠪᡳ ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝ	ᡥᡡᠯᠠᠨᠠᠮᡝ ᡤᡝᠨᡝᠮᠪᡳ ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝ ᡥᡡᠯᠠᠮᠪᡳ ᠸᠠᡴᠠᠣ ᡳᠨᡠ ᠨᡝ ᠠᡳᠴᡳ ᠵᡝᡵᡤᡳ	ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝ ᡥᡡᠯᠠᠮᠪᡳ ᡤᡡᠸᠠ ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝ ᠠᡴᡡ ᡩᠠᠮᡠ ᠶᠠᠰᠠᡳ ᠵᡠᠯᡝᡵᡳ ᠪᡠᠶᠠᡵᠠᠮᡝ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ

and spend the day with you.

VIII. Senior. I observe you pass this way every day, sir, what place is it that you go to?

Junior. I go to my studies.

Senior. To read Manchu, isn’t it?

Junior. It is.

Senior. What are you reading in Manchu?

Junior. Oh, no new books, only every day talk

gulhun: completely
emu: one
inenggi: day
gisureme: Inf. (3) of gisurembi to speak
teceki: Subj. Pres. (7) of tecembi to sit together

age: elder brother, sir
si: thou
inenggidari: daily
ederi: this way
yaburengge: Verbal Noun (21) of yabumbi to go
gemu: all
aibide: whither?
genembi: to go
bithe: book
hulaname: Inf. (3) of hūlanambi to go to read
genembi: to go
manju: Manchu
bithe: book
hūlambi: to read
wakao: it is not, with interrogative o
inu: yes
ne: now
aici: which?
jergi: order
bithe: book
hūlambi: to read
gūwa: other
bithe: book
akū: not
damu: only
yasai: eye, with genitive affix i
juleri: postpos. before
buyarame: Ger. (3) of buyarambi to do petty things
gisun: word, speech

1	2	3	4
ᠵᠠᡳ ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᡳ ᠣᠶᠣᠩᡤᠣ ᠵᠣᡵᡳᠨ ᡳ ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝ ᡨᡝᡳᠯᡝ ᠰᡠᠸᡝᠨᡩᡝ ᡤᡳᠩᡤᡠᠯᡝᡵᡝ	ᡥᡝᡵᡤᡝᠨ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳᠣ ᠠᡴᡡᠨ ᡨᡝ ᡳᠨᡝᠩᡤᡳ ᡧᡠᠨ ᡶᠣᡥᠣᠯᠣᠨ ᡥᡝᡵᡤᡝᠨ ᠠᡵᠠᡵᠠ	ᡧᠣᠯᠣ ᠠᡴᡡ ᡝᡵᡝᠴᡳ ᡳᠨᡝᠩᡤᡳ ᡧᡠᠨ ᠰᠠᠨᡳᠶᠠᡥᠠ ᠮᠠᠩᡤᡳ ᡥᡝᡵᡤᡝᠨ ᠠᡵᠠᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳ ᠰᡝᡵᡝ	ᠠᠩᡤᠠᠯᠠ ᡥᠣᠨᠣ ᡠᠪᠠᠯᡳᠶᠠᠮᠪᡠ ᠰᡝᠮᠪᡳᡴᠠᡳ ᠠᡤᡝ ᠪᡳ ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝ ᡥᡡᠯᠠᡵᠠ ᠵᠠᠯᡳᠨ

and the “Important explanation of Manchu speech.”^[6]

Senior. Are they teaching you to write Manchu round hand yet?

Junior. The days are too short at present to leave any time for writing; but presently, when they begin to lengthen, we shall be taught to write and translate, too.

Senior. Well, sir, I have been wanting to study Manchu myself

jai: secondly
manchu: Manchu
gisun: word, speech
i: genitive affix
oyonggo: important
jorin: aim, explanation
i: genitive affix
bithe: book
teile: only
suwende: dat. of suwe you
ginggulere: Fut. Part. (5) to ginggulembi to honour; here with hergen the 楷書 ch‘ieh-shu an elegant style of writing [楷書 ch'ieh-shu must be a mistake for 楷書 kǎishū]
hergen: letter, writing
tacibumbio: to teach, with interrogative o
akūn: or not?
te: now

inenggi day	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	day
šun sun

foholon: short
hergen: letter
arara: Fut. Part. (5) of arambi to write
šolo: leisure
akū: not is
ereci: this, with postpos. ci from, hereafter

inenggi day	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	day
šun sun

saniyaha: Pret. (4) of saniyambi to extend
manggi: as soon as
hergen: letter
arabumbi: Pass. of arambi to write; to cause to write
sere: Fut. (5) of sembi to say
anggala: not only
hono: also
ubaliyambu: Imp. (1) of ubaliyambumbi to translate
sembikai: to say, with kai final particle
age: elder brother, sir
bi: I
bithe: book
hūlara: Fut. Part. (5) of hūlambi to read
jalin: because of

1	2	3	4
ᠶᠠᠯᠠ ᡠᠵᡠ ᠰᡳᠯᡤᡳᠮᡝ ᠠᡳᠪᡳᡩᡝ ᠪᠠᡳᡥᠠᠨᠠᡥᠠᡴᡡ ᠮᡠᠰᡝᡳ ᡠᠪᠠᡳ ᡧᡠᡵᡩᡝᠮᡝ	ᡶᡠᡥᠠᠯᡳ ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᡴᡡ ᠠᡴᡡ ᡤᡡᠨᡳᠴᡳ ᠰᡳᠨᡳ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᡵᡝ ᠪᠠ ᠠᡳ ᡥᡝᠨᡩᡠᡵᡝ	ᠠᡨᠠᠩᡤᡳ ᠪᡳᠴᡳᠪᡝ ᠪᡳ ᡳᠨᡠ ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝ ᡥᡡᠯᠠᠨᠠᡴᡳ ᠮᡳᠨᡳ ᡶᡠᠨᡩᡝ ᠮᠠᠵᡳᡤᡝ	ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝᠴᡳ ᠣᠵᠣᡵᠣᠣ ᠠᡤᡝ ᠰᡳ ᠮᡝᠨᡩᡝ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᠪᡠᡵᡝ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠪᡝ ᠸᡝ ᠰᡝᠮᠪᡳ

and I have looked, I assure you, everywhere (for a school) and left no place unexamined; but in our neighbourhood, I am sorry to say, there is no school for Manchu.

I was thinking that the one you go to would do for me well enough, and that one of these days I might commence my attendance. Will you be so good as to say a word for me to the master beforehand?

Junior. Ah! I see you think that it is a regular professor that teaches us; but that

yala: really
uju: head
silgime: Ger. (3) of silgimbi to put into
aibide: where?
baihanahakū: Pret. (4) of baihanumbi to go to search, with akū not
musei: we two, with genitive affix i
ubai: here, with genitive affix i
šurdeme: all round
fuhali: altogether
manju: Manchu
tacikū: school
akū: not
gūnici: Cond. (6) of gūnimbi to think
sini: thy
tacire: Fut. Part. (5) of tacimbi to learn
ba: place
ai: what?
hendure: Fut. (5) of hendumbi to speak

atanggi when?	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	whenever it may be
bicibe Advers. (13) of bimbi to be

bi: I
inu: also
bithe: book
hūlanaki: Subj. Pres. (7) of hūlanambi to go to read
mini: gen. of bi I
funde: postpost. for
majige: little
gisureci: Cond. (6) of gisurembi to speak
ojoroo: can, may, with interrogative o
age: elder brother, sir
si: thou
mende: dat. plur. of be we
tacibure: Fut. Part. (5) of tacibumbi to teach
niyalma: man
be: accusative affix
we: who
sembi: to say, call;

1	2	3	4
ᠰᡝᡶᡠ ᠰᡝᠮᠪᡳᠣ ᠸᠠᡴᠠ ᡴᠠᡳ ᠮᡳᠨᡳ ᡝᠮᡠ ᠮᡠᡴᡡᠨ ᡳ ᠠᡥᡡᠨ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᠪᡠᡵᡝ ᡝᠯᡝ ᡠᡵᠰᡝ	ᡤᡝᠮᡠ ᠮᡝᠨᡳ ᡝᠮᡠ ᡠᡴᠰᡠᠨ ᡳ ᠵᡠᠰᡝ ᡩᡝᠣᡨᡝ ᠵᠠᡳ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠮᠠᠨ ᡥᡡᠨᠴᡳᡥᡳᠨ ᡠᠮᠠᡳ	ᡤᡡᠸᠠ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠠᡴᡡ ᠠᡩᠠᡵᠠᠮᡝ ᠰᡝᠴᡳ ᠮᡳᠨᡳ ᠠᡥᡡᠨ ᡳᠨᡝᠩᡤᡳᡩᠠᡵᡳ ᠶᠠᠮᡠᠯᠠᠮᠪᡳ	ᠵᠠᠪᡩᡠᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᡳᠨᡝᡴᡠ ᠪᡝ ᡝᡵᡩᡝ ᠶᠠᠮᠵᡳ ᠨᠠᠨᡩᠠᠮᡝ ᡤᡝᠨᡝᡵᡝ ᠵᠠᡴᠠᡩᡝ ᠠᡵᡤᠠ

is not the case. Our instructor is one of the elders of our clan and his pupils are all our own near cousins; any other that may attend are relations by marriage; there is not an outsider among them. But the fact is that our elder is too busy to give regular lessons; for, besides teaching us, he has to go to the yamên every day. It is only because we entreat him day and night

sefu: teacher (師傅 shih fu)
sembio: to say, call, with interrogative o
waka: no
kai: final particle.
mini: my
emu: one
mukūn: clan
i: genitive affix
ahūn: elder
tacibure: Fut. Part. (5) of tacibumbi to teach
ele: whoever
urse: plural affix
gemu: all
meni: our
emu: one
uksun: relationship
i: genitive affix
juse: pl. of jui son
deote: pl. of deo younger brother
jai: secondly
niyaman: blood relation
hūncihin: relation by marriage
umai: not at all
gūwa: other
niyalma: man
akū: not is
adarame: how
seci: Cond. (6) of sembi to say
mini: my
ahūn: elder
inenggidari: daily
yamulambi: to go to the yamên
jabdurakū: Fut. (5) of jabdumbi to have leisure, with akū not
ineku: the same
be: accusative affix
erde: morning
yamji: evening
nandame: Inf. (3) of nandambi to request
genere: Fut. (5) of genembi to go
jakade: conj. because
arga: trick, expedient

1	2	3	4
ᠠᡴᡡ ᡧᠣᠯᠣ ᠵᠠᠯᡤᡳᠶᠠᠨᠵᠠᡶᡳ ᠮᡝᠮᠪᡝ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳ ᠸᠠᡴᠠ ᠣᠴᡳ ᠠᡤᡝ	ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝ ᡥᡡᠯᠠᠮᡝ ᡤᡝᠨᡝᡴᡳ ᠰᡝᡥᡝᠩᡤᡝ ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᠪᠠᡳᡨᠠ ᡩᠠᠪᠠᠯᠠ ᠰᡳᠨᡳ ᡶᡠᠨᡩᡝ	ᠮᠠᠵᡳᡤᡝ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝᠴᡳ ᠮᡳᠨᡩᡝ ᡤᡝᠯᡳ ᠠᡳ ᠸᠠᠵᡳᡥᠠ ᠨᡳ᠉	ᡨᡝᡵᡝ ᠠᡤᡝ ᠰᡝᡵᡝᠩᡤᡝ ᠮᡠᠰᡝᡳ ᡶᡝ ᠠᡩᠠᡴᡳ ᡴᠠᡳ ᡴᡝᠮᠨᡝᠮᡝ ᡨᡠᠸᠠᠮᡝ ᠮᡠᡨᡠᡥᠠ

that he feels obliged to find time to play the tutor. Were the case otherwise, you desire to study Manchu is a thing commandable in itself, and as for the trouble of speaking in your behalf, I should not have thought it any trouble at all.

IX. Senior. That gentleman is our old neighbour, you know; the lad we have seen grow up here.

akū: not, arga akū he cannot help it
šolo: leisure
jalgiyanjafi: Past Ger. (8) of jalgiyanjambi to supply
membe: acc. of be we
tacibumbi: to teach
waka: not
oci: if
age: elder brother, sir
bithe: book
hūlame: Inf. (3) of hūlambi to read
geneki: Subj. Pres. (7) of genembi to go
sehengge: Verbal Noun (21) of sembi to say
sain: good
baita: thing
dabala: only
sini: gen. of si thou
funde: postpos. for
majige: little
gisureci: Cond. (6) of gisurembi to speak
minde: dat. of bi I
geli: then
ai: what
wajiha: Pret. (4) of wajimbi to end, finish
ni: interrogative particle.

tere: that
age: elder brother
serengge: Verbal Noun (21) of sembi to say
musei: our, with genitive affix i
fe: old
adaki: neighbour
kai: is

kemneme Inf. (3) of kemnembi to measure	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	to regard carefully
tuwame Inf. (3) of tuwambi to see

mutuha: Pret. (4) of mutumbi to grow

1	2	3	4
ᠵᡠᠰᡝ ᡴᡳᠶᠠᠯᠠᡳ ᡤᡳᠶᠠᠨᠠᡴᡡ ᡠᡩᡠ ᡤᠣᡳᡩᠠᡥᠠ ᡩᠣᠨᠵᡳᠴᡳ ᠮᡠᠵᠠᡴᡡ ᡥᡡᠸᠠᡧᠠᡶᡳ	ᡥᠠᡶᠠᠨ ᠣᡥᠣ ᠰᡝᡵᡝ ᠰᡠᠴᡠᠩᡤᠠ ᠪᡳ ᡥᠣᠨᠣ ᠠᡴᡩᠠᡵᠠ ᡩᡠᠯᡳᠨ ᡴᡝᠨᡝᡥᡠᠨᠵᡝᡵᡝ ᡩᡠᠯᡳᠨ ᠪᡳᡥᡝ	ᠠᠮᠠᠯᠠ ᡤᡠᠴᡠᠰᡝ ᡩᡝ ᡶᠣᠨᠵᡳᠴᡳ ᠮᡠᠵᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᡝᡵᡝᠪᡝ ᡨᡠᠸᠠᠴᡳ ᠮᡠᠵᡳᠨ ᠪᡳᠰᡳᡵᡝᠩᡤᡝ	ᠪᠠᡳᡨᠠ ᠵᡳᡩᡠᠵᡳ ᠮᡠᡨᡝᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳ ᠰᡝ ᠮᡠᠯᠠᠨ ᡩᡝ ᠠᡴᡡ ᠰᡝᡥᡝ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᡨᠠᡧᠠᠨ

He has not been away from us very long, and now one hears that he is doing very well; that he has got an appointment. I only half believed the report when I first heard it, until on inquiring of friends I find it really is the case. It shows the truth of the proverb “If a man but resolve, the thing he wants to do is done”; and of the other proverb “No man is too young to make a resolution.”

juse: plur. of jui child
kiyalafi: Past Ger. (8) of kiyalambi to be separated
giyanakū: how could
udu: how much
goidaha: Pret. (4) of goidambi to last
donjici: Cond. (6) of donjimbi to hear
mujakū: exceedingly
hūwašafi: Past Ger. (8) of hūwašambi to increase, to get on
hafan: official
oho: Pret. (4) of ombi to be
sere: Fut. (5) of sembi to say
sucungga: first
bi: I
hono: also
akdara: Fut. (5) of akdambi to believe
dulin: half
kenehunjere: Fut. (5) of kenehunjembi to doubt
dulin: half
bihe: Pret. (4) of bimbi to be
amala: afterwards
gucuse: pl. of gucu friend
de: postpos. in
fonjici: Cond. (6) of fonjimbi to ask
mujangga: certain
erebe: this, with accusative affix be
tuwaci: Cond. (6) of tuwambi to see, to regard
mujin: resolution
bisirengge: Verbal Noun (21) of bimbi to be
baita: thing
jiduji: completely
mutebumbi: it can be done
se: year
mulan: seat; se mulan age
de: postpos. in
akū: not
sehe: Pret. (4) of sembi to say
gisun: word
tašan: wrong

1	2	3	4
ᠠᡴᡡ ᠨᡳ ᠠᡤᡝ ᡳ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᡳᠨᡠ ᡨᡠᡨᡨᡠ ᠰᡝᠴᡳᠪᡝ ᡳᠨᡠ ᡨᡝᡵᡝᡳ ᠰᠠᡴᡩᠠᠰᠠ ᡩᡝ	ᠸᠠᠵᡳᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᠪᠠ ᠪᡳᡶᡳ ᡨᡝᠨᡳ ᡝᡵᡝ ᡤᡝᠰᡝ ᡩᡝᡴᠵᡳᠩᡤᡝ ᠵᡠᠰᡝ ᠪᠠᠨᠵᡳᡥᠠ	ᠨᠣᠮᡥᠣᠨ ᠪᡳᠮᡝ ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᠨ ᠵᠣᡵᡳᠨ ᡩᡝ ᠠᠮᡠᡵᠠᠨ ᡤᠠᠪᡨᠠᡵᠠ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠮᠨᡳᠶᠠᡵᠠ ᡝᡳᡨᡝᠨ	ᡥᠠᡳᡥᠠᡳ ᡝᡵᡩᡝᠮᡠ ᠰᡝ ᡩᡝ ᡨᡝᡳᠰᡠ ᠠᡴᡡ ᠠᠮᠪᡠᠯᠠ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᡥᠠᠪᡳ ᠠᠨ ᡳ ᡠᠴᡠᡵᡳ

Junior. That is all very well, sir; still, his father’s infinite virtues must have enabled him to beget a son of such promise; a young man so kind and good, so fond of his studies; in foot and horse archery, in every manly exercise beyond his years accomplished; spending any spare time

akū: not
ni: final particle
age: elder brother, sir
i: genitive affix
gisun: word
inu: true
tuttu: thus
secibe: Advers. (13) of sembi to say
inu: certainly
terei: his
sakdasa: pl. of sakda old man, father
de: postpos. in
wajirakū: infinite
sain: good
ba: place
bifi: Past Ger. (5) of bimbi to be
teni: therefore
ere: this
gese: similiarity
dekjingge: prosperous
juse: child
banjiha: Pret. (4) of banjimbi to beget
nomhon: kind
bime: Ger. (3) of bimbi to be
sain: good
tacin: learning
jorin: interpretation
de: postpos. in
amuran: fond of
gabtara: Fut. Part. (5) of gabtambi to shoot on foot (with the bow)
niyamniyara: Fut. Part. (5) of niyamniyara to shoot on horseback
eiten: every
haihai: man, with sign of genitive i
erdemu: virtue
se: year, age
de: postpos. to
teisu: corresponding to
akū: not
ambula: greatly
tacihabi: Indef. Past (10) of tacimbi to learn, to study
an i ucuri: generally

1	2	3	4
ᠪᠣᠣᡩᡝ ᠪᡳᠴᡳ ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝ ᡨᡠᠸᠠᡵᠠ ᡩᠠᠪᠠᠯᠠ ᠪᠠᠯᠠᡳ ᠪᠠᡩᡝ ᡝᠮᡠ ᠣᡴᠰᠣᠨ ᠰᡝᠮᡝ ᡳᠨᡠ	ᡶᡝᠯᡳᠶᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᡨᡝᡵᡝ ᠠᠩᡤᠠᠯᠠ ᠰᡳᡩᡝᠨ ᡳ ᠪᠠᡳᡨᠠ ᡩᡝ ᠣᠴᡳ ᡤᡳᠩᡤᡠᠨ ᠣᠯᡥᠣᠪᠠ	ᠪᠠᡥᠠᡵᠠ ᠰᠠᡵᠠ ᠪᠠᡩᡝ ᠣᠴᡳ ᡶᡳᠮᡝᠨᡝᡵᡝ ᠪᠠ ᠠᡴᡡ ᡝᡵᡝ ᡨᠣᠪ ᠰᡝᠮᡝ ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᠪᠠ ᡳᡴᡨᠠᠮᠪᡠᡥᠠ	ᠪᠣᠣᡩᡝ ᡠᡵᡠᠨᠠᡴᡡ ᡶᡠᠨᠴᡝᡨᡝᠯᡝ ᡥᡡᡨᡠᡵᡳ ᠪᡳ ᠰᡝᡥᡝ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᡩᡝ ᠠᠴᠠᠨᠠᡥᠠ

at home, and there always at his studies; never moving one step in the direction of a dissolute life.

Then he is so careful and attentive in the discharge of his public duties; and when he is able to obtain information about something, he remains perfectly spotless. It is quite a case in which one may observe that ᠌“The house where virtue accumulates (from generation to generation) will not fail to have more than an ordinary share of happiness.”

boode: house. with postpos. de in
bici: Cond. (6) of bimbi to be
bithe: book
tuwara: Fut. (5) of tuwambi to look at
dabala: only
balai: frivolous
bade: place, with postpos. de to
emu: one
okson: step
seme: Inf. (3) of sembi to say
inu: really
feliyerakū: Fut. (5) of feliyembi to walk, with akū not
tere: that
anggala: not only
siden: public
i: genitive affix
baita: affair
de: postpos. in
oci: Cond. (6) of ombi to be
ginggun: careful
olhoba: attentive
bahara: Fut. Part. (5) of bahambi to obtain
sara: Fut. Part. (5) of sambi to know
bade: place, with postpos. de in
oci: Cond. (6) of ombi to be
fimenere: Fut. Part. (5) of fimenembi to smudge
ba: place
akū: not
ere: this
tob: right
seme: Inf. (3) of sembi to say
sain: good
ba: place
iktambuha: Part. Pret. (4) of iktambumbi to accumulate
boode: house, with postpos. de in
urunakū: must
funcetele: superabundant
hūturi: luck
bi: has
sehe: Pret. (4) of sembi to say
gisun: word, speech
de: postpos. in
acanaha: Pret. (4) of acanambi to agree

1	2	3	4
ᠰᡝᠴᡳᠨᠠ᠉ ᠠᡤᡝ ᠶᠠᠯᡠ ᠪᡳ ᠰᡳᠨᡩᡝ ᠵᠠᡳᠯᠠᡥᠠ ᡴᠠᡳ ᡧᠠᡩᠠᠮᡝ ᡤᡝᠯᡳ ᠠᡳᠰᡝᠮᡝ	ᡝᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳ ᠠᡳ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᠰᡝᡵᡝᠩᡤᡝ ᠰᠠᠪᡠᡥᠠᡴᡡ ᠣᠴᡳ ᠠᡳᠨᠠᡵᠠ ᠪᡳ ᡴᡝᠵᡳᠨᡝ	ᠠᠯᡩᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᠴᡳ ᡠᡨᡥᠠᡳ ᠰᡳᠮᠪᡝ ᠰᠠᠪᡠᡥᠠ ᠪᠠᡩᡝ ᠮᠣᡵᡳᠯᠠᡥᠠᡳ ᡩᡠᠯᡝᡵᡝ ᡴᠣᠣᠯᡳ ᠪᡳᠣ	ᠠᡤᡝ ᠪᠣᠣᡩᡝ ᡩᠣᠰᡳᡶᡳ ᡨᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡᠨ ᡳᠨᡠ ᡴᠠᡳ ᠮᡠᠰᡝ ᠠᠴᠠᡥᠠᡴᡡᠩᡤᡝ ᡴᡝᠵᡳᠨᡝ

X. Junior. Keep on your horse, sir, pray! I went out of your sight.

Now, why should you go through the form of dismounting when you are so tired?

Senior. Not dismount, indeed! If I had not seen you, well and good; but when I did see you ever so far off, you would not have had me pass you on horseback, would you?

Junior. Well, sir, won’t you step in and sit down?

Senior. Oh, yes, I’ll step in and sit down a moment, it is so long since we met.

secina: Concess. (14) of sembi to say

age: elder brother, sir
yalu: Imp. (1) of yalumbi to ride
bi: I
sinde: Dat. of si thou
jailaha: Pret. (4) of jailambi to escape
kai: final particle
šadame: Ger. (3) of šadambi to be tired
geli: also
aiseme: how could
ebumbi: to dismount
ai gisun: what language
serengge: Verbal Noun (21) of sembi to say
sabuhakū: Pret. (4) of sabumbi to notice, with akū not
oci: Cond. (6) of ombi to be
ainara: what is to be done?
bi: I
kejine: far off
aldangga: distant
ci: postpos. from
uthai: therefore
simbe: acc. of si thou
sabuha: Pret. (4) of sabumbi to notice
bade: conj. because
morilahai: Part. Pret. (4) of morilambi to ride, with adverbial affix i: on horseback
dulere: Fut. Part. (5) of dulembi to pass
kooli: custom
bio: it is, with interrogative o
age: elder brother, sir
boode: house, with postpos. de in, to
dosifi: Past Ger. (8) of dosimbi to enter
terakūn: Fut. (5) of tembi to sit, with akūn or not?
inu: yes
kai: final particle
muse: we two
acahakūngge: Verbal Noun (21) of acambi to meet, with akū not
kejine: far off.

1	2	3	4
ᡤᠣᡳᡩᠠᡥᠠ ᠪᡳ ᡩᠣᠰᡳᡶᡳ ᠮᠠᠵᡳᡤᡝ ᡨᡝᡴᡳ ᠠᡵᠠ ᡠᡨᠠᠯᠠ ᡥᠠᠴᡳᠩᡤᠠ ᠮᠣᠣ ᡳᠯᡥᠠ	ᡨᡝᠪᡠᡥᡝᠪᡳᠣ ᡤᡝᠯᡳ ᡠᡨᠠᠯᠠ ᠪᠣᠴᠣᠩᡤᠣ ᠨᡳᠰᡳᡥᠠ ᡠᠵᡳᡥᡝᠪᡳ ᠸᡝᡥᡝ ᠠᡳ ᠵᡳᠪᠰᡳᠮᡝ	ᡳᡴᡨᠠᠮᠪᡠᡥᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᡳᠨᡠ ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᡤᡡᠨᡳᠨ ᡳᠰᡳᠨᠠᡥᠠ ᠪᡝ ᡠᠮᡝᠰᡳ ᡶᠠᡴᠰᡳ ᠵᡝᡵᡤᡳ	ᡩᡝ ᡤᡝᠮᡠ ᡩᠣᡵᠣ ᠶᠠᠩᠰᡝ ᠪᡳ ᡝᡵᡝ ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝᡳ ᠪᠣᠣ ᠶᠠᠯᠠ ᠪᠣᠯᡤᠣ ᠠᠪᠰᡳ ᡨᡠᠸᠠᠴᡳ

But, dear me! what a show of trees and flowers you have, and what a stock of goldfish! and your rockery, so ingeniously concieved; every tier of it has a character of its own! and what a tidy library! everything in it looks

goidaha: Pret. (4) of goidambi to last
bi: I
dosifi: Past Ger. (8) of dosimbi to enter
majige: little
teki: Subj. Pres. (7) of tembi to sit
ara: hallo!
utala: so many
hacingga: of all kinds
moo: tree
ilha: flower
tebuhebio: Indef. Past (10) of tebumbi to plant, with interrogative o
geli: also
utala: so many

boconggo coloured	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	goldfish
nisiha small fish

ujihebi: Indef. Past (10) of ujimbi to nourish
wehe: stone
ai: what
jibsime: Inf. (3) of jibsimbi to lay in tiers
iktambuhangge: Verbal Noun (21) of iktambumbi, pass. of iktambi to heap up
inu: really
sain: good
gūnin: thought
isinaha: Part. Pret. (4) of isinambi to arrive
be: accusative affix
umesi: very
faksi: ingenious
jergi: order, tier, jergi jergi every tier
de: postpos. in
gemu: all
doro: rule
yangse: beauty
bi: is, has
ere: this
bithei: book, with genitive affix i
boo: house, room
yala: certainly
bolgo: clean
absi: how
tuwaci: Cond. (6) of tuwambi to regard

1	2	3	4
ᠠᠪᠰᡳ ᡳᠴᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᡨᠣᠪ ᠰᡝᠮᡝ ᠮᡠᠰᡝᡳ ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝ ᡥᡡᠯᠠᠰᡳ ᠠᠴᠠᡵᠠ ᠪᠠ ᡩᠠᠮᡠ	ᡴᠣᡵᠰᠣᡵᠣᠩᡤᡝ ᠮᡳᠨᡩᡝ ᠠᠰᡠᡵᡠ ᡤᡠᠴᡠ ᡤᠠᡵᡤᠠᠨ ᠠᡴᡡ ᡝᠮᡥᡠᠨ ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᠴᡳ ᡩᡝᠮᠪᡝᡳ	ᠰᡳᠮᡝᠯᡳ ᡝᡩᡝ ᠠᡳ ᠮᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᠰᡳ ᠠᡳᡴᠠ ᡝᡳᠮᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠣᠴᡳ ᠪᡳ ᠰᡳᠨᡩᡝ ᡤᡠᠴᡠ	ᠠᡵᠠᠮᡝ ᠵᡳᠴᡳ ᠠᠨᡨᠠᡴᠠ ᡨᡠᡨᡨᡠ ᠣᠴᡳ ᠮᡳᠨᡩᡝ ᡨᡠᠰᠠ ᠣᡥᠣ ᠰᠣᠯᡳᠨᠠᠴᡳ

so convenient, it is quite the place for reading men like us.

Junior. It is nice enough, no doubt; the misfortune is that I have no friend to study with, and studying all alone is tame work.

Senior. Well, there needn’t be much difficulty on that score. I’ll be your fellow-student, provided that I don’t bother you; what say you?

Junior. Bore, indeed! It will be a real blessing if you will. I never asked you

absi: so
icangga: fit, convenient
tob: true
seme: Ger. (3) of sembi to say
musei: we, with genitive affix i
bithe: book
hulaci: Cond. (6) of hūlambi to read
acara: Fut. Part. (5) of acambi to suit
ba: place
damu: but
korsorongge: Verbal Noun (21) of Korsombi to be discontented
minde: dat. of I
asuru: many
gucu: friend
gargan: associate
akū: not
emhun: alone
bithe: book
tacici: Cond. (6) of tacimbi to learn
dembei: extremely
simeli: lonesome
ede: this
ai: what?
mangga: difficult?
si: thou
aika: perhaps
eimerakū: Fut. Pat. (5) of eimembi to be bored, with akū not
oci: if
bi: I
sinde: dat. of si thou
gucu: friend
arame: Inf. (3) of arambi to represent
jici: Cond. (6) of jimbi to come
antaka: how
tuttu: thus
oci: Cond. (6) of ombi to be
minde: dat. of bi I
tusa: profit
oho: Pret. (4) of ombi to be, to have
solinaci: Cond. (6) of solinambi to go to invite

1	2
ᡥᠣᠨᠣ ᠵᡳᡩᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠵᠠᠯᡳᠨ ᠵᠣᠪᠣᡧᠣᠮᠪᡳᡴᠠᡳ ᠶᠠᠯᠠ ᠵᡳᠴᡳ ᠮᡳᠨᡳ ᠵᠠᠪᡧᠠᠨ ᡩᠠᠪᠠᠯᠠ	ᡝᡳᠮᡝᠮᠪᡳ ᠰᡝᡵᡝ ᡩᠣᡵᠣ ᡤᡝᠯᡳ ᠪᡳᠣ᠉

to come, because I feared you would refuse; but if you really are coming I shall be the most fortunate of men.

hono: yet
jiderakū: Fut. (5) of jimbi to come, with akū not
jalin: postpos. on account of
jobošombikai: to be uneasy, with kai final particle
yala: indeed
jici: Cond. (6) of jimbi to come
mini: my
jabšan: luck
dabala: only
eimembi: to be bored
sere: Fut. (5) of sembi to speak
doro: rule, custom
geli: still
bio: it is, with interrogative o.

INDEX of AFFIXES and TERMS.

(The number in brackets indicates the verbal affix as explained on page 9).

absi	35. 36. 37. 48. 49
adali	15. 31
ai	6. 16. 20. 25. 30. 33. 41. 43. 48. 49
aibi	33. aibide 39. 41. aici 39
aika	27. 49. aikabade 16
aimbe	6. ainci 6
aiseme	35
akū, akūn, akūngge	12. 13. 22. 23. 24. 28. 31. 32. 39. 40. 41. 44. 45. 49
anggala	29. 31. 32
ba	4. 24. 41. 46. 49. bade 13. 29. 46. 47
babi	17. 21. 32. 37. 45
be	5. 6
beye	6. 29. 31
bi	6. 50. bici 17. 36. 46. 47. bicibe 25. 41. bifi 45 bihe 11. 35. 36. 44. bime 21. 22 45. bisirengge 38. 44
bun	4
buru	4
ca, ce, co	8
ce, ceni, cende, cembe, cenci	6
cen	4
ci	(6) 4. 6. 7. 8. 13
cibe	(13) 8
cin	4
cina	(14) 8
cu	4
cuka, cuke	4. 13
cun	(14) 4. 8
da, de, do	4. 8
dari	13
de	4. 5. 8. 13
dere	19. 25
du	8
de	42
ere	6
ese	6
fi	(8) 8

gan, gen, gon	4
ge	4
gemu	8. 16. 29. 32. 33. 48
geren	5
geri	13
ha, he, ho	(4) 4. 8. 9. 10 habi (10) 8. 9. habici (12) 8. 9. habihe (11) 8. 9
han, hen, hon, hun, hūn	4
hi, hin	4
hiyan, hiyen	4
i, ini, inde, imbe, inci	5. 6. 13. 22. 23. 25. 27
ingge	4
inu	13
ja	8
jergi	5. 13
ji	4. 8
ju	4
ka, ke, ko	(4) 4. 8. 10, v. ha.
kai	18. 24. 26. 27. etc.
kan, ken, kon	4
ku, kū	4
la	4. 8
lame, leme	(23) 8. 13
lan, len, lon	4
le	(22) 4. 8
lengge	(22) 8
liyan, liyen	4
lo	4
mari	13
mbi	8, mbifi (17) 8. mbihe (9) 8. mbime (16) 8. 13
mbubumbi	(20) 8
mbumbi	(19) 8
me	(3) 8. 13
meni, mende, membe, menci	6
mini, minde, mimbe, minci	6
mpi	8. 11
mudan	13
muse	6

n	4
na, ne, no, nu	8
ndara, ndere	8. 10
ndu	8
ngga, ngge, nggo	(21) 4. 6. 8
nggala, nggele, nggolo	(18) 8. 9
nggeri	13
nggi	4
nggū	4
ngka, ngke, ngko	8. 10. 11
ni	5. 6. 35. 43. 45
ningge	4
o	6
ombi	13. 15. 20. 22 ombini 22. 29. ombime 29. oho 44. 49. ohode 26. 31. 34. ofi 13. 17. 21. 30. ojoro 29. 41. ome. 30. oci 13. 16. 17. 20. 24. 28. 36. 37. 43. 46. 47. 49. ocibe 13
pi	8. 11
ra, re, ro	(5) 4. 8. 9. 10
ran, ren, ron	4
ri	4
ru	4
sa, se, so	4
saka	4. 13
sembi	13. 15. 32. 38. 40. 41. seme 18. 19. 20. 24. 27. 32. 33. 46. 49. sehe 44. 46. sehengge 43. sehebi 24. sere 20. 24. 31. 40. 44. 50. serengge 15. 20. 43. 47. seci 19. 22. 23. 42. secibe 45

si, sini, sinde, simbe, sinci	6
su	4
sun	4
suwe, suwen, suwende, suwembe, suwenci	6
ša, šo, še	8
šun, šūn	4
ta, te, to	4. 7. 8
tanggū	5. 7
tede	22
tere, tese	6
tetendere	19
tome	5. 28
tu	4
tumen	5. 7
tun	4
ubu	7
udu	25. 36. 44
umai	12. 42
ume	12. 30. 33
unde	12. 31
urse	4. 5. 37. 42
uthai	15. 27
waka	12
we, wei, wede, webe, weci	6
weike	6
weingge	6
ya	6. 24

Appendix.

For Manchu Literature see my Essay on Manchu Literature in Journal of China Branch of R. A. S., Shanghai, vol. xxiv (1890) p. 1-45.

The following are the principal European works for the study of Manchu:—

J. Klaproth, Chrestomathie mandchou or recueil de textes mandchou. Paris 1828. 8vo, 273 pp.

H. C. von der Gabelentz, Elémens de la grammaire mandchoue. Altenbourg, 1832. 8vo, 156 pp.

Additional remarks on the Manchu verb in “Beiträge zur mandschuischen Conjugationslehre, Zeitschr. der D. M. Ges. xviii, p. 202-219.

—Sse-schu, Schu-king, Schi-king in mandschuischer Uebersetzung mit einem mandschu-deuschem Wörterbuch. Leipzig, 1864. 2 vols. 8vo.

Vol. I containing the romanized Manchu text of the four books (四書), the Shuking and Shiking, 304 pp.

Vol. II containing the dictionary, 231 pp.

T. T. Meadows, Translations from the Manchu language with the original text. Canton, 1849. 8vo.

A. Wylie, T'sing-wen-k'i-ung, a Chinese grammar of the Manchu Tartar language with introductory notes on Manchu literature. Shanghai, 1855. 8vo, II, lxxx, 310 pp.

F. Kaulen, Linguae mandschuricae institutiones quas conscripsit indicibus ornavit chrestomathia et vocabulario auxit. Ratisbonae, 1856. 8vo., 152 pp.

W. Wassilyeff, Manchu Chrestomathy. St. Petersburg, 1863. 8vo, 228 pp.

L. Adam, Grammaire de la langue mandchou. Paris, 1873. 8vo, 137 pp.

Sakharoff, Complete Manchu-Russian Lexicon. St. Petersburg, 1875. Imp. 8vo, xxx, 1,636 pp.

G. von der Gabelentz, Thai-kih-thu. Tafel des Urprinzips, chinesisch mit mandschuisher und deutscher Uebersetzung. Dresden, 1876. 8vo.

W. Grube, T'ung-schu des Ceu-tsi, chinesisch und mandschuisch mit Uebersetzung und Commentar. Wien, 1880. 8vo.

E. Teza, Mangiurica, note raccolte. Pisa.

G. Hoffmann, Grammatica mancese compendiata dall’ opera zinese Zing wen ki mung. Turin, 1883. 8vo, 36pp.

L. Nocentini, Il santo editto di Kanghi e l’amplificazione di Yung-ceng. Versione mancese. Firenze, 1883.

C. de Harlez, Manuel de la langue mandchoue. Grammaire, anthologie et lexique. Paris, 1884. 8vo., 232 pp

For older works see Manual of Chinese Bibliography by myself and my brother. Shanghai, 1876, p. 300-305.

↑ The name of the Emperor 舜 shun is given in Manchu as šūn.
↑ The y in these 3 Chinese syllables represents the vowel transcribed by Wade with ŭ as in tzŭ and ssŭ, with ih as in chih and shih.
↑ This alphabet was adopted by the Uigurs from a Syriac or Mandaic source, thence adapted to the Mongolian language and in 1599 slightly altered to suit the pronunciation of Manchu. Unfortunately 3 vowels were left unrepresented: ö, ü, y. By comparing the Tungusic dialects these vowels can be partly restored.
↑ I follow J. Grunzel, Die Vocalharmonie der Altaischen Sprachen, Sitz. Ber. der Kais. Ak. der Wiss. Wien, 1888, which is based on Radloff's eminent work: Phonetik der Nördlichen Türksprachen. Leipzig, 1883.
↑ Whenever hereafter any of these affixes is referred to, its number as here given will be quoted in brackets.
↑ See Essay on Manchu Literature, page 10. [清話指要 qīng huà zhǐyào]

This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse

[1] The name of the Emperor 舜 shun is given in Manchu as šūn.

[2] The y in these 3 Chinese syllables represents the vowel transcribed by Wade with ŭ as in tzŭ and ssŭ, with ih as in chih and shih.

[3] This alphabet was adopted by the Uigurs from a Syriac or Mandaic source, thence adapted to the Mongolian language and in 1599 slightly altered to suit the pronunciation of Manchu. Unfortunately 3 vowels were left unrepresented: ö, ü, y. By comparing the Tungusic dialects these vowels can be partly restored.

[4] I follow J. Grunzel, Die Vocalharmonie der Altaischen Sprachen, Sitz. Ber. der Kais. Ak. der Wiss. Wien, 1888, which is based on Radloff's eminent work: Phonetik der Nördlichen Türksprachen. Leipzig, 1883.

[5] Whenever hereafter any of these affixes is referred to, its number as here given will be quoted in brackets.

[6] See Essay on Manchu Literature, page 10. [清話指要 qīng huà zhǐyào]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

nom.	ere this	ese these	tere that	tese those
gen.	erei, ereni	esei	terei	tesei
dat.	ede, erede	esede	tede, terede	tesede
acc.	erebe	esebe	terebe	tesebe
abl.	ereci	eseci	tereci	teseci

A Manchu Grammar

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