Yes, but the problem is that tam-a2 means 'just now' and cam-a (if I understand hong) appears to mean 'now', which in Penang we would express by than-a1.
Also, how do you say 'last year'? Different people seem to use different phrases.
More different Hokkien pronunciations across Malaysia
Casey, I don't think that cit4-ma2 in Taiwanese is from Japanese "ima" because it's cit4-mai2 in our usage. Mai2 = pai2 (擺?) = 次 = a turn / times -> cit4-mai2 = cit4-pai2 = this time -> now.
Hong, we use tha5-ma1 = tha5-mi1-a1 = just now, it should be the same as tam-ma. Tha5 is the "incomplete" pronunciation of thau5 頭. Many people in Bagan (my hometown) pronounce thau5-khak4 頭殼 (head) as tha5-khak4.
Andrew, last year is ting2-ni*5 頂年 or ku7-ni*5 舊年 in ours.
Hong, we use tha5-ma1 = tha5-mi1-a1 = just now, it should be the same as tam-ma. Tha5 is the "incomplete" pronunciation of thau5 頭. Many people in Bagan (my hometown) pronounce thau5-khak4 頭殼 (head) as tha5-khak4.
Andrew, last year is ting2-ni*5 頂年 or ku7-ni*5 舊年 in ours.
Niu,
some Taiwanese write 麼 for ma.I have been thinking a long time ago why some people said mai (it can only be mainn no mai in minnan language)but not the correct pai 擺=回 .I think it is a misread ,maybe bai (試看bai) become mai as well?There is only one word for mainn in minnan =m+ai
I think ta-ma is just pure local invention.
we have to know ting-ninn also mean 前年。
some Taiwanese write 麼 for ma.I have been thinking a long time ago why some people said mai (it can only be mainn no mai in minnan language)but not the correct pai 擺=回 .I think it is a misread ,maybe bai (試看bai) become mai as well?There is only one word for mainn in minnan =m+ai
I think ta-ma is just pure local invention.
we have to know ting-ninn also mean 前年。
Niuc
I agree with you that "cit4 ma2" could also be derived from "cit4 mai2". In fact, I would say that it is a fusion of the Japanese "ima" and "cit4 mai2". When I first heard about the expression of "cit4 ma2" from a Taiwanese friend (he is of the generation that studied Japanese during World War 2), he told me that many Taiwanese expressions were influenced by the Japanese language and "cit4 ma2" is one of them. Other common examples are: "liao7 li2" 料 理 (food), "ki1-mo" (sandhi, I am not sure of its Hanzi, but its meaning is 心 情 ) , etc.
I agree with you that "cit4 ma2" could also be derived from "cit4 mai2". In fact, I would say that it is a fusion of the Japanese "ima" and "cit4 mai2". When I first heard about the expression of "cit4 ma2" from a Taiwanese friend (he is of the generation that studied Japanese during World War 2), he told me that many Taiwanese expressions were influenced by the Japanese language and "cit4 ma2" is one of them. Other common examples are: "liao7 li2" 料 理 (food), "ki1-mo" (sandhi, I am not sure of its Hanzi, but its meaning is 心 情 ) , etc.