Denotation of Classifiers and Their Compatibility with Quantificational Elements
This paper examines the compatibility between various quantificational elements and classifiers in Chinese nominals. The following six properties are spotted: (i). proportional quantifiers are incompatible with classifiers and always allow de-insertion; (ii). Numericals requires the occurrence of classifiers and allow post-classifier de-insertion principally when the classifier is a measure word; (iii). Collectives are incompatible with classifiers and allow de-insertion; (iv). Universals with a tint of distributivity require the occurrence of classifiers and strictly forbid de-insertion; (v). Existential you can occur with classifiers but prohibits post-classifier de- insertion; (vi). An interesting asymmetry: henduo “many” is compatible with classifiers and de-insertion; while henshao “few” precludes the appearance of classifiers. These properties allow us to study the basic denotation of common nouns, the function of classifiers and quantificational elements’ different requirements on their restrictors from a new perspective.
Feng, Yuli
City University of Hong Kong
国内会议
光盘
英文
42
2011-12-10（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）