Classifier Structures in Mandarin Chinese

Niina Ning Zhang

ISBN 10: 3110303744 / ISBN 13: 9783110303742

Published by De Gruyter, DE, 2013

About this Item

This monograph addresses fundamental syntactic issues of classifier constructions, based on a thorough study of a typical classifier language, Mandarin Chinese. It shows that the contrast between count and mass is not binary. Instead, there are two independently attested features: Numerability, the ability of a noun to combine with a numeral directly, and Delimitability, the ability of a noun to be modified by a delimitive modifier, such as size, shape, or boundary modifier. Although all nouns in Chinese are non-count nouns, there is still a mass/non-mass contrast, with mass nouns selected by individuating classifiers and non-mass nouns selected by individual classifiers. Some languages have the counterparts of Chinese individuating classifiers only, some languages have the counterparts of Chinese individual classifiers only, and some other languages have no counterpart of either individual or individuating classifiers of Chinese. The book also reports that unit plurality can be expressed by reduplicative classifiers in the language. Moreover, for the constituency of a numeral expression, an individual, individuating, or kind classifier combines with the noun first and then the numeral is integrated; but a partitive or collective classifier, like a measure word, combines with the numeral first, before the noun is integrated into the whole nominal structure. Furthermore, the book identifies the syntactic positions of various uses of classifiers in the language. A classifier is at a functional head position that has a dependency with a numeral, or a position that has a dependency with a generic or existential quantifier, or a position that represents the singular-plural contrast, or a position that licenses a delimitive modifier when the classifier occurs in a compound.

Seller Inventory # LU-9783110303742

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Classifier Structures in Mandarin Chinese
• Publisher: De Gruyter, DE
• Publication Date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 3110303744
• ISBN 13: 9783110303742
• Binding: Hardback
• Edition: 1st.
• Condition: New
• Dimensions: 6.4W x 1H x 9.1D inches 6.4 inches width by 1 inches height by 9.1 inches depth
• Weight: 621 grams

About this title

Synopsis

In Classifier Structure in Mandarin Chinese, Niina Ning Zhang proposes a new approach to the count-mass contrast, and the properties and functions of classifiers when they occur with numerals, with various quantifiers, in compounds, and in reduplicative forms. The new approach makes a significant contribution to our understanding of the existence of classifiers in numeral classifier languages. The investigation also uncovers that certain non-classifier languages lack only one type of classifiers, whereas other non-classifier languages may lack other types of classifiers.

About the Author

Niina Ning Zhang, National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan.