Kobo: A Story of the Russo-Japanese War

by Herbert Strang

  *Glossary*

  C=Chinese, J=Japanese, P=Pidgin-English. The Chinese substitute _l_ for_r_, and add the terminations _-ee_, _-um_, and _--lo_ to many words.

  _allo_ (P), all, every.

  _banzai_ (J), lit. "ten thousand years!", an exclamation in salutationof the emperor, equivalent to _Vive le roi_!

  _belongey_ (P), often equivalent simply to the verb _to be_.

  _bimeby_ (P), by and by, afterwards.

  _bobbely_ (P), noise, uproar.

  _bottom-side_ (P), down, below.

  _catchee_ (P), to get, have.

  _ch'hoy_ (P), an exclamation.

  _cham-tow_ (C), to cut off the head, execute.

  _chop-chop_ (P), quickly.

  _chow-chow_ (P), food.

  _daimio_ (J), a feudal and military chief whose income exceeded 10,000_koku_ of rice(_koku_=5.13 bushels).

  _-ee_, a pidgin-English termination.

  _first-chop_ (P), best, excellently.

  _galaw_ (P), a common exclamation.

  _geisha_ (J), a dancing and singing girl.

  _hai_ (J), an exclamation used in answering.

  _ha-loy_ (P), come down.

  _hara-kiri_ (J), suicide by cutting open the abdomen.

  _hayo_ (J), early: _o hayo_, good-morning.

  _he_ (P), he, she, it, they, him, her.

  _iniside_ (P), within, in.

  _joss_ (P), god.

  _joss-house_ (P), temple.

  _joss-pidgin-man_ (P), priest.

  _kimono_ (J), long outer garment.

  _komban_ (J), good-evening.

  _koto_ (J), a kind of lyre.

  _kow-tow_ (P), to bow humbly.

  _li_ (C), a Chinese mile: 250 _li_ make 1 degree.

  _littee_ (P), little.

  _look-see_ (P), look, examine.

  _makura_ (J), a rest for the head.

  _meshi_ (J), boiled rice.

  _muchee_ (P), very.

  _musume_ (J), girl, young lady.

  _my_ (P), I, me, my, mine.

  _no can do_ (P), cannot.

  _numpa_ (P), number: _numpa one_, first-rate.

  _o_ (J), an honorific prefix used in addressing or speaking respectfullyof a person: _o hayo_, good-morning.

  _obe_ (J), a long sash worn round the waist.

  _one-tim'_ (P), once.

  _pan_ (J), bread: _pan taberu daro_, I want something to eat.

  _pidgin_ (P), business: _pidgin-English_, English as spoken by Chineseat the ports.

  _pidgy_ (P), busy.

  _piecee_ (P), used with numerals: _one piecee man_=a or one man.

  _plopa_ (P), proper: _allo plopa_, all right.

  _sake_ (J), a fermented rice-beer.

  _sampan_ (C), a Chinese punt.

  _samurai_ (J), lit. one who serves the emperor; a member of the militaryclass formerly privileged to wear two swords.

  _san_ (J), a title used with names.

  _sassy_ (P), saucy, proud.

  _savvy_ (P), know, understand.

  _sayonara_ (J), good-bye.

  _shogun_ (J), commander-in-chief; the title of the ruler who for severalcenturies supplanted the Mikado.

  _side_ (P), place, direction: _this-side_, here; _that-side_, there;_what-side_, where.

  _so-fashion_ (P), in that way.

  _tabemono_ (J), a gift of food.

  _taberu_ (J), I shall eat.

  _tadaima_ (J), presently, at once.

  _that-side_ (P), there.

  _that-tim'_ (P), then.

  _this-side_ (P), here, hither.

  _tim'_ (P), time.

  _topside_ (P), above, superior.

  _topside-pidgin-man_ (P), missionary.

  _uma_ (J), horse.

  _wa_ (J), a particle.

  _wailo_ (P), away, to go away, run away.

  _wantchee_ (P), to want.

  _what-for_ (P), why.

  _what-side_ (P), where.

  _what-tim'_ (P), when.

  _yen_ (J), dollar.

  _yinkelis_ (P), English.

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