Hó-sè vs Hó-sì

[AndrewAndrew]

In my mind I distinguish the phrase hó-sì, which to me means suitable, well (healthy), appropriate, etc., from hó-sè, which to me conveys more the meaning of luxurious, rich, fortunate, etc. But in Douglas, the former is simply the Chiangchiu and the latter the Amoy pronunciation of 好勢. Am I mistaken, or do other Pg Hokkien speakers distinguish the two?

[Mark Yong]

I have heard some Penangites use it in your context, i.e. differentiating between hó-sè vs hó-sì, the latter normally being used in lang bo hó-sì “not feeling well”.

That said, most of the Chinese-educated Penang Hokkien speakers that I used to mix regularly with treat it as just hó-sè in all contexts. On the basis that I subscribe to the theory that they are both just variations of 好勢, that is what I normally use.

[SimL]

I make a similar distinction (but perhaps slightly different in details).

"Ho-si" is well, as in health-wise. That's the primary meaning for me, so "bo-ho-si" is "sick", as Mark also indicates. Another related meaning is "good, well arranged, well organized" - "i-e pang-keng tong-kim hE kha se e bin-cheng, kha ho-si liau - bo an-nE khEh" (= "Now that he's put a smaller bed in his room, it's better - not as cramped anymore").

"Ho-se" for me means "(a) comfortable (life/style)" - "i than khi co-kang ti Eng-Kok (i) cin-nia ho-se lo - than ka cin-nia ce lui, ko than tua ti ci-le cin-nia tua keng e chu, ko than sai cin-nia kui e chia" (= "His being able to go and work in England makes his life very comfortable - he gets lots of money, and also gets to stay in a very big house, and also gets to drive a very expensive car"). I guess this usage of "ho-se" corresponds to your "luxurious, rich, fortunate".

However, I checked with my father (a real Baba Penang Hokkien speaker if ever there was one), and he said he only used "ho-si", never "ho-se". Perhaps it's newer usage, from the 1960's onwards?

[AndrewAndrew]

I make a similar distinction (but perhaps slightly different in details).

"Ho-si" is well, as in health-wise. That's the primary meaning for me, so "bo-ho-si" is "sick", as Mark also indicates. Another related meaning is "good, well arranged, well organized" - "i-e pang-keng tong-kim hE kha se e bin-cheng, kha ho-si liau - bo an-nE khEh" (= "Now that he's put a smaller bed in his room, it's better - not as cramped anymore").

"Ho-se" for me means "(a) comfortable (life/style)" - "i than khi co-kang ti Eng-Kok (i) cin-nia ho-se lo - than ka cin-nia ce lui, ko than tua ti ci-le cin-nia tua keng e chu, ko than sai cin-nia kui e chia" (= "His being able to go and work in England makes his life very comfortable - he gets lots of money, and also gets to stay in a very big house, and also gets to drive a very expensive car"). I guess this usage of "ho-se" corresponds to your "luxurious, rich, fortunate".

However, I checked with my father (a real Baba Penang Hokkien speaker if ever there was one), and he said he only used "ho-si", never "ho-se". Perhaps it's newer usage, from the 1960's onwards?

Sim - my usage is exactly the same as yours. I use "ho-si" for everything except the example you gave. I think "ho-se" must have been a borrowing from S Malayan Hokkien.