Baba/Nyonya
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Baba jingles

from Lim Teong Beng    

 
Nonsense verse for kids


Guay kim chn'air


guay kim chn'air
     moon bright, stars

charp gor mair
     15th moon

chn'iar loo-eh koo-ah
     invite your younger uncle

lai chiar tair
     to tea

tair sio sio
     tea is boiling hot

kniar lor bay^ kin cheo
     walk to buy banana

kin cheo bay kee pair`
     forget to peel the banana

kniar lor bay ch'air
     walk to buy a book

bark bay-kee buar~
     forget to make the ink

kniar lor bay chuar
     walk to buy a snake

chuar bay-kee t'ai
     forget to kill the snake

kniar lor bay ong-lai
     walk to buy a pineapple

ong lai bay-kee chiar
     forget to eat the pineapple

kniar lor bay k'ar k'iark
     walk to buy clogs

k'ar k'iark bay-kee ch'eng
     forget to wear the clogs   

kniar lor bay kar leng
     walk to buy a parrot
     
kar leng kong^, kar leng poay
     parrot speaks, parrot flies   

chn'iah loo nor larng
     come you two

lai th'it thoe
      And join in the fun!

(kar leng kong, kar leng po - play on words  kong po, the old couple)



A loo a

a loo a

chai` bee chai ch'ek
     plant rice, plant paddy

lai ch'ee kay
     to feed chickens

ch'ee kay lai keo knair`
     raise chickens to crow

ch'ee kau lai booi mair~
     raise dogs to bark in the night

ch'ee how sneh ean lau pair
     raise sons to look after the father

ch'ee chau-ah  hor larng mair
     raise daughters to be scolded



Tones

_____

~    rising tone as in hair (prawn)
`    down tone as in tay (earth)
^    up tone as in ch'uarn (tired)
!    abrupt sound
n  nasal


  
Child Protection Society Penang

118A Scotland Road


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INDEX

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Index page    Baba jingles    Book review    Food guide    Foreign eye    The jungle war (9)                Letter from Pulau Tikus    MacMichael's bullying   The Straits Chinese     The wise magistrate

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The Penang File Issue  50