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Numeral classifiers in Sinitic languages: Semantic content, contextuality, and semi-lexicality

Linguistics, 2017-03, Vol.55 (2), p.333-369 [Peer Reviewed Journal]

Copyright Walter de Gruyter GmbH Mar 2017 ;ISSN: 0024-3949 ;EISSN: 1613-396X ;DOI: 10.1515/ling-2016-0043

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  • Title:
    Numeral classifiers in Sinitic languages: Semantic content, contextuality, and semi-lexicality
  • Author: Wu, Yicheng
  • Subjects: Chinese ; Chinese languages ; classifier ; Classifiers ; Content words ; contextuality ; Demonstratives ; English language ; Familiarity ; Function words ; Grammar ; Grammatical features ; Grammatical subject ; Grammaticality ; numeral classifier ; Pragmatics ; Reference (Semantic) ; semantic content ; semantics ; semi-lexicality ; Southeast Asian languages ; Spoken language
  • Is Part Of: Linguistics, 2017-03, Vol.55 (2), p.333-369
  • Description: Numeral classifiers have consistently been treated as lexical words (实词 or 体词 ) by traditional Chinese grammarians but considered functional elements in most theoretical linguistic literature and treated as functionally equivalent to the definite article in English. In this paper, I point out that (i) unlike the definite article in English that denotes “definiteness” regardless of context, bare nouns and numeral classifiers in Sinitic languages indicate neither “definiteness” nor “indefiniteness” out of context; (ii) the analysis of equating Chinese numeral classifiers with English definite article is the consequence of mistaking an essentially pragmatic phenomenon for a grammatical one ( . 语法性与语用性 Yufaxing yu yuyongxing [Grammaticality versus pragmaticality]. Shougao 手稿). Based on various sources of evidence, I demonstrate that the primary function of classifiers has remained unchanged, namely that of classification and individualization (cf. . Classifiers in East and Southeast Asian languages: Counting and beyond. In Jadranka Gvozdanović (ed.), , 113–185. Berlin & New York: Mouton de Gruyter). Although bare [Cl+N] phrases and even bare classifiers in some Sinitic languages can sometimes be interpreted definitely, it is strictly subject to context and the pragmatic restriction of familiarity ( . Classifiers in Sinitic languages: From individuation to definiteness-marking. 122. 335–355). This is confirmed by our questionnaire survey that reveals that the grammatical feature of “definiteness” in these languages is invariably indicated by demonstratives. I thus conclude that numeral classifiers in Sinitic languages can be treated as belonging to the semi-lexical category in the sense of Corver and van Riemsdijk ( . . Berlin & New York: Mouton de Gruyter), which is in agreement with analyses of classifiers as “quasi-nominals” ( . Hanyu xuexi [Chinese learning]. Beijing: Chinese Youth Press) or “nominal auxiliaries” ( . . Berkeley, CA: University of California Press).
  • Publisher: Berlin: De Gruyter
  • Language: English;French;German
  • Identifier: ISSN: 0024-3949
    EISSN: 1613-396X
    DOI: 10.1515/ling-2016-0043
  • Source: Walter De Gruyter: Open Access Journals
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