Wow, it's nice to see such replies.....
Btw, my internet browser behaves strangely, I can't use 'Quote', so this is the only way I can reply. apologize...
to AH BIN:
I didn't know about Batu Gantong. But I'm very glad you pointed the link so I can check it out. It's nice to know that Indonesia and Malaysia has a lot of common in literature. Btw, Batu Gantong means a Hanging Stone...
to NIUC:
Unfortunately, we don't have those Bukiap serials on TV anymore. There are lots of 'movements' to push TV Stations to re-run those serials in lots of Internet Forums. We hope we can bring it back, so we can get rid those silly sinetrons (Indonesian Soap Opera/ from words: Cinema and Electronic).
And yes, you are very right about the names you mentioned. The 'bukiap novels' in Indonesia HAVE to use Hokkien, otherwise, the 'feel' and the 'tone' of the story wouldn't be the same. I just don't know why. Maybe because from the beginning when those translations were so popular, the hokkien dialect was the only dialect that was used.
Five or three years ago, there were some wuxia translations using Mandarin. But, it just doesn't feels right. A lot of people criticized it, they say the translator should you Hokkien. If I am not mistaken the novels that used Mandarin vocabs were Coh Liu Hsiang/Chu Liu Xiang last three books: Legend of the Peach, Legend of the Moon, and Midnight Orchid.
Kho Ping Hoo? His novel is very very addictive. One of crazy things about his works is that they continues for more than 20 serials. For examples Chin Yung/ Jin Yong only have one trilogy: Sin Tiaw Enghiong, Sin Tiaw Hiap Lu, and To Liong To. Where Kho Ping Hoo has more than 20 continuing serials....crazy...the story spans from Song dinasty to Ching dinasty, from generation to generation... Imagine if Kwee Cheng [from Sin Tiaw Enghiong] has son, grandson, grand-grand son, up to 20 descendants...That's why it's so addictive...
to XNG:
I am from Malang-East Java.
From NIUC, i think the dialect used were Ciangciu. In Indonesia they called it "Cina Medan".
But as far as I know there were also "Cina Semarang" too. Semarang is in Central Java. Many Chinese descendants in Java stil use some unique Javanese dialect mixed with Hokkien. Like : 'Buk' which means 'NO' (maybe from hokkien PUT, or mandarin 'BU), Gua (means "I"), Loteng [from Lau Teng / attic?], Lihay, mie, etc.
Here are some vocabs and idioms I used on my novel. I hope I'm using it rightly...LOL: Btw, I got those words from reading the bukiap translations I was talking about on my first posting.
She = Family name
Kuncu = Gentleman
Siaujin = Lowly
Ceng = Manor
Cukong = Chief, manor chief?
Jiya = sir, master
Hujin = Madam
Thia = Daddy
Thian = Heaven/ God ?
Pakkhia = Beijing
Jicek = second uncle
Liangsim = Good heart
Wanpwe = "I" but used when talking with senior
Cayhe = "I" used when talking with junior?
Cinkehnio = Mother in Law
Gihu = step father
Wangwe = richman
kiam hoat = sword stances
to po = Sabre manual
cin keng = Book that contains great kungfu manual
to hoat = Sabre stances
Tok Ciang = Poisonus palm
Tiat Pu San = armour stance
Kim Na Jiu = wrestling stance
Hwesio = Buddhist priest
Thay Kek Kun = Tai Chi Cuan
PS : I named the protagonist of my own novel after my great grandfather's family name, which is 'Cio'. What do they called 'Cio' in mandarin?
anyway, the protagonist name is Cio San. I don't know the meaning. I just love the sound.
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)