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Useful Phrases in the Shanghai Dialect — Reading Companion

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In Category - Language Study

Authors: McIntosh, Gilbert Digital Source: Project Gutenberg Gutenberg Release Year: 2020 First Publication Year: Not confirmed

Key Word: Chinese language -- Dialects -- China -- Shanghai; Chinese language -- Conversation and phrase-books Target Reader: Readers of public-domain and historical texts

Book Edition: Project Gutenberg digital edition Book Language: en

Edition facts

Words 17,432

Reading time 76 min

Text sections 4

The source record for Useful Phrases in the Shanghai Dialect — Reading Companion measures this digital text at 17,432 words, 1 hr 16 min estimated reading time, and 4 detected text sections.

The text analysis averages about 9.9 words per sentence, while the detected sections provide another way to judge how the source is divided.

Project Gutenberg metadata also associates the work with “Chinese language -- Dialects -- China -- Shanghai,” connecting these edition facts with the source record’s subject description.

Source: Project Gutenberg record #62133

A 1908 phrasebook for Shanghai dialect, organized by daily scenarios (merchant, cook, tailor, etc.), with romanized phrases, English glosses, and an index-vocabulary. McIntosh emphasizes memorization and idiom over grammar, reflecting the practical needs of foreign residents.

Editorial Edition Score 4.5/5

★★★★★ ★★★★★

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Description quality20 pts
Title & short description10 pts
Source metadata20 pts
Text length15 pts
Chapters / structure15 pts
EPUB file integrity20 pts

Total of 100 points, scaled to a 2.5-5.0 range. Editions with an empty description or a missing EPUB file are not scored.

Edition quality

File: pg62133

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hip’s officer. 我拉輪船上辦事个 _Ngoo la lung-zen laung ban z kuh_.

Have you a wife? 儂已經成親否 (or) 儂有娘子否 _Noong i-kyung dzung-tshing va?_ (or) _noong yeu nyang-ts va?_

Yes, she is in England. 我有个,伊現在拉英國 _Ngoo yeu kuh; yi yien-dze la Iung-kok_.

Yes, she is coming soon. 伊就要來快哉 _Yi zieu iau le khwa tse_.

Have you any children? 儂有啥小囝否 _Noong yeu sa siau noen va?_

Three sons and two daughters. 我有三个兒子咾兩个囝 _Ngoo yeu san-kuh nyi-ts lau liang-kuh noen_.

What age are they? 伊拉幾歲哉 _Yi-la kyi soe tse?_

The oldest is 20 years old. 頂大个是念歲 _Ting doo kuh z nyan soe_.

The youngest is 12 years old. 頂小个是十二歲 _Ting-siau-kuh z zeh-nyi soe_.

Give my greetings to your family, 望望儂个一家門 _Maung-maung noong-kuh ih ka-mung_.

=_ON THE STREET_.= ----------

Ricksha, come! 東洋車 (or) 東洋車來 _Toong-yang-tsho_ (or) _toong-yang-tsho le!_

Go ahead. 朝前 (or) 走上去 _Dzau-zien_ (or) _tseu-zaung chi_.

Go to the right. 到右邊去 _Tau yeu-pien chi_.

Go to the left. 到左邊去 _Tau tsi-pien chi_.

Go back. 回轉去 _We-tsen chi_.

Wait here. 等拉 (or) 等拉第頭 _Tung la_ (or) _tung la di-deu_.

I want to go to the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank. 我要到滙豐銀行去 _Ngoo iau tau We-foong nyung-‘aung chi_.

I want to go to the German Bank. 我要到德華銀行去 _Ngoo iau tau Tuh-wo nyung-‘aung chi_.

I want to go to the Imperial Customs. 我要到新關去 _Ngoo iau tau Sing-kwan chi_.

I want to go to the Astor House. 我要到禮査去 _Ngoo iau tau Li-dzo chi_.

I want to go to the Club. 我要到總會去 _Ngoo iau tau Tsoong-we chi_.

I want to go to the Railway Station. 我要到火車站去 _Ngoo iau tau hoo-tsho dzan chi_.

I want to go to the Steamer Jetty. 我要到輪船碼頭去 _Ngoo iau tau lung-zen mo-deu chi_.

I do not know the way; take me to the Police Office. 我勿認得路; 儂車我到巡捕房去 _Ngoo ’veh nyung-tuh loo; noong tsho ngoo tau Dzing-boo-vaung chi_.

[I have paid] enough. 有哉 (or) 毅哉 _Yeu-tse_ (or) _Keu-tse_.

[What I have paid you is] not too little. 勿少拉哉 _’Veh sau la tse_.

I have already paid you according to custom. 我巳經照規矩付儂 _Ngoo i-kyung tsau kwe-kyui foo noong_.

Go quicker. 跑來快點. _Bau-le khwa-tien_.

Go slower. 跑來慢點 _Bau-le man-tien_.

Stop. 停 (or) 停下來 _Ding_ (or) _Ding-‘au-le_.

Stop for a little while. 停一停 _Ding-ih-ding_.

[Because of rain] put up the hood. [爲之落雨] 篷布撑起來 [_We-ts lauh-yui_] _boong-poo tshang-chi-le_.

Put the hood back. 蓬布放下去 _Boong-poo faung-‘au-chi_.

Have you a waterproof apron? 油布有否 _Yeu-poo yeu va?_

Please tell me where the bank is? 請告訴我銀行拉那裡 _Tshing kau-soo ngoo nyung-‘aung la ‘a-li?_

Please tell me where Chinese books can be bought. 請告訴我那裡可以買中國書 _Tshing kau-soo ngoo ‘a-li khau-i ma Tsoong-kok su_.

Please tell me where Foreign books can be bought. 請告訴我外國書那裡好買 _Tshing kau-soo ngoo nga-kok su ‘a-li hau ma?_

Please tell me where foreign clothes can be bought. 請告訴我外國衣裳那裡好買 _Tshing kau-soo ngoo nga-kok i-zaung ‘a-li hau ma?_

Please tell me where there is an eating house or (hotel). 請告訴我那裡有外國飯店 (or 客寓) _Tshing kau-soo ngoo ‘a-li yeu nga-kok van-tien_ (or _khak-nyui_).

Take me to the British Consulate. 車我到大英公館去 _Tsho ngoo tau Da-Iung koong-kwen chi_.

Take me to the American Consulate. 車我到花旗公館去 _Tsho ngoo tau Hwo-ji koong-kwen chi_.

Take me to the Cathedral. 車我到紅禮拜堂去 _Tsho ngoo tau ‘Oong-li-pa-daung chi_.

Take me to Union Church. 車我到蘇州河禮拜堂去 _Tsho ngoo tau Soo-tseu-‘oo li-pa-daung chi_.

Still another (ricksha) is wanted. 還要一部 _wan iau ih boo_.

Can this parcel go into the ricksha? 第个包子車子上擺得落否 _Di-kuh pau-ts tsho-ts laung pa-tuh-lauh va?_

For other useful directions see section on “Direction.”

=_THE MERCHANT_.= ----------

Have you any business to-day? 今朝儂有啥事體否 _Kyung-tsau noong yeu sa z-thi va?_

Do you wish to order anything to-day? 今朝儂要定啥貨色否 _Kyung-tsau noong iau ding* sa hoo-suh va?_

Yes, I want to order.* 我要定个 _Ngoo iau ding kuh_.

*Ding (定) and Ta (帶) are commonly used in Shanghai as equivalents for “order.” Ding actually contains the idea of contract and money paid; Ta actually contains the idea of bringing the goods with you; but they each have a wider significance.

I do not want to order. 我勿要定啥貨 _Ngoo ’veh iau ding sa hoo_.

I want to purchase. 我要買 _Ngoo iau ma_.

I want to sell. 我要賣脫 _Ngoo iau ma-theh_.

It cannot be bought (i.e., Can not sell at that price). 買勿動 _Ma ’veh doong_.

It can be bought (i.e., Can sell at that price). 買得動 (or 可以買) _Ma tuh-doong_ (or _Khau-i ma_).

What do you want to buy? 儂要買啥物事 _Noong iau ma sa meh-z?_

Will you sell? 儂要賣脫否 _Noong iau ma-theh va?_

What is the price of this? 第个啥價錢 _Di-kuh sa ka-dien?_

[This] price is too dear. 價錢忒貴 _Ka-dien thuh kyui_.

When will the goods come? 貨色幾時到 _Hoo-suh kyi-z tau?_

If too late I cannot use them. 若是忒慢我用勿著 _Zak-z thuh man, ngoo yoong-’veh-dzak_.

These goods are worse than last time. 第回个貨色比上次恘 (or 退班) _Di-we kuh hoo-suh pi zaung ths cheu (or the-pan)_.

To-day I have goods to be imported. 今朝我有貨色進口 _Kyung-tsau ngoo yeu hoo-suh tsing-kheu_.

To-day I have goods to export. 今朝我有貨色出口 _Kyung-tsau ngoo yeu hoo-suh tsheh-kheu_.

To-day I have goods to tranship. 今朝我有貨色過船 _Kyung-tsau ngoo yeu hoo-suh koo-zen_.

To-day I have goods to re-export. 今朝我有貨色轉口 _Kyung-tsau ngoo yeu hoo-suh tsen-kheu_.

How much duty on these goods? 第个貨色要完幾化稅 _Di-kuh hoo-suh iau wen kyi-hau soe?_

Has the Duty Memo come? 稅單有來否 _Soe-tan yeu le va?_

Have you received the Duty Memo? 稅單儂收着末 _Soe-tan noong seu-dzak meh?_

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Gilbert McIntosh’s Useful Phrases in the Shanghai Dialect (1908) is a phrasebook built for immediate, practical use by foreign residents and travelers in Shanghai. Rather than offering a systematic grammar, it presents hundreds of romanized sentences grouped by occupation and situation—from a merchant bargaining for cloisonné to a housewife instructing the cook. The book’s structure reveals its intended audience: busy adults who need to communicate without mastering Chinese characters. McIntosh explicitly warns that “there is no royal road or short cut to learning,” yet his method relies on rote memorization of idiomatic phrases, supported by an index-vocabulary that gives meanings “used in certain phrases” rather than primary definitions.

Occupational Scenarios as Linguistic Frames

The phrasebook is organized not by grammatical topic but by the daily roles of a colonial household: the cook, houseboy, amah, tailor (gentlemen’s and ladies’), washerman, mafoo (groom), and Chinese teacher. Each section supplies ready-made sentences for typical interactions. For instance, the “Cook” section likely includes phrases for ordering food, while “The Ladies’ Tailor” covers measurements and fabric choices. This arrangement assumes a social hierarchy where the foreign speaker gives instructions and the Chinese servant responds. The “Purchasing” section, however, shows a more equal exchange: the buyer asks “What is the price of this?” and “Can you make it cheaper?”—phrases that require negotiation, not just commands.

Romanization and the Problem of Tone

McIntosh uses a romanization system borrowed from Rev. J. A. Silsby, designed for the Shanghai dialect. The system marks aspiration (e.g., tshih for “seven” vs. dz for “self”) but does not indicate tones. In the introduction, McIntosh notes that “to aspirate is important,” yet the book provides no tone marks. This omission would make it difficult for a learner to produce correct tones, though the phrases might still be understood in context. The romanization also reflects local pronunciation: nyung-chi for “silver ware” and hyang-loo for “incense burner.” The index-vocabulary lists words with their phrase-specific meanings, a pragmatic compromise for a handbook not intended for deep linguistic study.

Cultural Assumptions Embedded in Phrases

The phrasebook reveals the cultural and economic context of early 20th-century Shanghai. In “Purchasing,” the buyer asks about “Mexican dollars,” “Hongkong dollars,” “Japanese yen,” and “American dollars,” reflecting the multiple currencies in circulation. The phrase “Can you use these dollars?” suggests that not all foreign coins were accepted. The “Chinese Teacher” section includes requests to learn “Mandarin” or “Shanghai dialect,” showing that the foreigner could choose which variety to study. The teacher is addressed as sien-sang (先生) and paid monthly—eight dollars for daily one-hour lessons. The book also includes phrases for hiring servants, buying curios, and even dealing with the police, framing language as a tool for control and commerce.

McIntosh’s phrasebook is best used as a supplement to more systematic works, such as those by Hawks Pott or Yates, which he recommends in the introduction. Readers should be aware that the romanization lacks tone marks and that the index gives contextual rather than primary meanings. The book’s value lies in its snapshot of Shanghai’s linguistic landscape in 1908—a city where English, Chinese, and multiple foreign currencies coexisted in daily transactions.

I remember my own copy of the old 1908 Shanghai phrasebook—its pages, like summer dust, taught me that memorizing a merchant’s idiom is a kind of patience, not grammar. That feeling returns whenever I open English Synonyms and Antonyms With Notes on the Correct Use of Prepositions — Story, Setting & Ideas; across a century, both whisper that precision lives in chosen words, not rigid rules. A quiet kinship, indeed.