43.3 Topics III

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In Grammar and Vocabulary 28.6 and 29.3, we learned that a topic appears at the beginning of a sentence and sets the theme of the sentence which we will use to interpret the rest of the sentence.

So far the topic we have seen in a sentence is always a noun phrase. The topic of a sentence can also be a verb phrase, a serial verb construction, or even a short sentence.

TopicComment
蒸排骨買一字排啦。
zing1 paai4 gwat1maai5 jat1 zi6 paai2 laa1.
steam pork ribsbuy pork back ribs
For steaming pork ribs, buy pork back ribs.
The verb phrase 蒸排骨 zing1 paai4 gwat1 (‘to steam pork ribs’) appears at the beginning of the sentence and signals that the sentence is about steaming pork ribs.
TopicComment
用嚟蒸排骨買一字排啦。
jung6 lai4 zing1 paai4 gwat1maai5 jat1 zi6 paai2 laa1.
use it to steam pork ribsbuy pork back ribs
For using it to steam pork ribs, buy pork back ribs.
The serial verb construction 用嚟蒸排骨 jung6 lai4 zing1 paai4 gwat1 (‘to use it to steam pork ribs’) appears at the beginning of the sentence and signals that the sentence is about using the pork to steam pork ribs.
TopicComment
四個人食買半斤啦。
sei3 go3 jan4 sik6maai5 bun3 gan1 laa1.
four people eatbuy half a catty
For four people eating, buy half a catty.
The short sentence 四個人食 sei3 go3 jan4 sik6 (‘four people eat’) appears at the beginning of the sentence and signals that the sentence is about four people eating.