Adjectives in Penang Hokkien

1. Adjectives are words used to describe nouns. In Penang Hokkien, the position of adjectives is similar to that in English.

2. Adjectives can be used as subject complement. The adjective in this position is called a predicative adjective or predicate adjective.

For example.

The sky is red.
Thni1 ang2.

That car is old.
Heh1-leh1 chia1 ku33.

The road is narrow.
Heh1-leh1 lor33 ek1.

3. The verb "is/are/was/were" (which is "si33" in Penang Hokkien) in the above sentences are called linking verb or copulative verb. In Penang Hokkien, the linking verb si33 is not used in the presence of a predicative adjective (adjective that in English appears after is/are/was/were).

As in English, adjectives can also precede the nouns they modify. This such a position, the adjective is in the sandhi tone.

Red sky.
Ang3 thni1.

Old car.
Ku33 chia1.

4. For some adjectives, the possessive particle -eh3 is required. Where -eh3 is present, the adjective is in the citation tone.

Narrow road.
Ek1-eh3 lor33.

The above example literally means, "The road that is narrow."

5. The possessive particle -eh3 may also be added to adjectives which it is otherwise optional, for emphasis, creating the meaning of "that is".

The sky that is red.
Ang2-eh3 thni1.

The car that is old.
Ku33-eh3 chia1.

6. The qualitative adjectives big (tua33) and small (se3) have to be expressed with classifiers. The car is big.
Heh1-leh1 chia1 tua33-teng4.

The house is small.
Heh1-leh1 chu3 se1-keng1.

7. Possessive adjectives and regular adjectives can precede the noun to modify it further. His new car is big.
Ie1-eh3 sin3 chia1 tua33-teng4.

My old house is small.
Wah1-eh3 ku33 chu3 se1-keng1.

8. Demonstrative adjectives behave like qualitative adjectives - they have to be expressed with classifiers. Note, the linking verb si33 has to be used if there are predicative nominals (nouns or pronouns that are behind the linking verb)

This new car is hers.
Cit1-teng1 sin3 chia1 si33 ee1-eh2.

This old house is my house.
Cit1-keng3 ku33 chu3 si33 wah1-eh3 chu3.

Penang Hokkien Grammar

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