"sampai"... Malay-loaned or genuinely Hokkien?

[Mark Yong]

Ever heard the word "sampai" used in Penang Hokkien, in the context of "to the extent that..."?

I have this theory that the word may not be a Malay loan word after all. In Chinese, the phrase "to the extent that..." is written as 甚至. I believe the two words render into Hokkien as "sam ci" (somebody help me with the tones). The word 甚 by itself means "extreme" (though, it now normally exists only as the couplet 甚麽). If the "sam" in "sampai" is truly 甚, one can only speculate what the "pai" could be.

Coincidence?

[hong]

I don't agree sampai is minnan.
甚至=sim7ci3 =even ,so much so that.I hear some different sandhi for the word ci3 in minnan news.
until that should be (sampai) is 遘甲kau-kah,
kau-kam-cam 遘坎站=until the limit.
kau-liau-be 遘了尾。finally

[tangoloonokongo]

Hi Mr Mark Yong

It was good observation of yours.

I read your suggestion on "sampai", and even I am jolted by the suggested connection to say the Malay version was derived from Hokkien.

Could it be that the "pai" is the same word as "pai chnia" as when the Penang Hokkiens call it Chinese New Year visit to relatives or as when dignitaries pay homage to the Chinses emperors If it is then we have struck gold once more.



Good Job Guys

Tang Loon Kong
Shanghai, China

[hong]

I don't think so sampai has anything to do with minnan .If you are interested,you can try agak which Prof.Chiu didn't see is as Malay but some people do 阿合 (kah4-baidu)=估計