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Article published In:
Classifiers
Edited by Alexandra Y. Aikhenvald
[Asian Languages and Linguistics 3:2] 2022
► pp. 331–367

The classifiability scale

A cross-linguistic study on the occurrence of numeral classifiers

 | Central Queensland University
In many languages, nouns need a numeral classifier to combine with number words or quantifiers. Even though languages may have an elaborate system of numeral classifiers, there usually are exceptional nouns that combine directly with number words. This paper deals with the following questions: Which nouns trigger a numeral classifier when counted? Which nouns are more likely to occur without an additional classifier in a numeral context? Data from 32 languages reveal a classifiability scale of nouns depending on their semantics. The more animate a noun, the more likely is the occurrence of a classifier. With inanimate nouns, classifiers often may or must be omitted. The investigation extends to units, with units of time being much more likely to be accompanied by a numeral classifier than other units. These findings are surprising in the light of the predominant view that numeral classifiers are individuating units in languages where nouns appear to be uncountable mass nouns. I discuss several approaches, of which animacy and the form-frequency correspondence principle are most promising.
Keywords: numeral classifiers, animacy, form-frequency correspondence, individuation, mass nouns
Article outline
  • 1.Numeral classification
  • 2.Parameters
    • 2.1Types of numeral classifiers
    • 2.2Semantic categories of nouns
    • 2.3Three-part vs. two-part structures
    • 2.4Sample
  • 3.Classifier use per category
    • 3.1Units of time
    • 3.2Units of currency
    • 3.3Units of measure
    • 3.4Human nouns
    • 3.5Animates
    • 3.6Inanimates
  • 4.Comparison of the semantic categories
  • 5.Explaining the distribution of numeral classifiers
    • 5.1Sequence of categories on the scale
      • Explanation I: Individuation approach
      • Explanation II: Animacy approach
      • Explanation III: Form-frequency correspondence approach
    • 5.2Intra-categorial variation
  • 6.Discussion
  • Notes
  • Abbreviations
  • References
Published online: 26 January 2023
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/alal.22004.hol
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