Classifiers, partitions, and measurements: Exploring the syntax and semantics of sortal classifiers

Abstract

In many languages, measure terms like item and kilo, as in two items of furniture and two kilos of rice, can be used either to partition the nominal denotation into countable units, or to measure a denotation without inducing a partition. These two types of measurements are associated with two different syntactic structures: a partition-structure where the measure term forms a constituent with the noun independent of the numeral, and a measure-structure where the measure term forms a constituent with the numeral. Some researchers have claimed that in classifier languages, sortal classifiers are (most often) used in a partition-structurehence the classifier forms a constituent with the noun independent of the numeral. In contrast, non-sortal classifiers (i.e., measure classifiers) are often used in a measure-structurethe classifier forms a constituent with the numeral and this constituent modifies the noun. Contrary to these claims, we demonstrate that in Ch'ol (Mayan) all classifiers, sortal and nonsortal alike, are used in a measure-structure independent of the types of readings that are available with respect to the measure term. As a result, the correlation between partitioned meanings and partition-structures is not universal. We review several diagnostics that support this claim. These diagnostics can be used as a template to test the constituency structure in other classifier languages.

Discontinuous noun phrases in Yucatec Maya

“…A second major finding in our data is that subextraction is only possible for nominal heads and possessors, but not from the left branch of the nominal projection. Yucatec Maya differs from further Mayan languages in this respect, which also allow for possessor extraction as described in Section 5 above; see Tsotsil in (66a) and Ch’ol in (66b).However, Tsotsil and Ch’ol allow Left Branch Extraction, which we found impossible in Yucatec Maya; see (67a, b) and detailed discussion in Aissen (1987: 253–261) and Bale et al (2019) on Ch’ol.The nominal structure of these languages is prima facie very similar: bare referential noun phrases are possible, while definite and indefinite determiners occur frequently (see e.g. Tsotsil in Aissen 1987: 3–5; Ch’ol in Coon 2010: 207–211).…”

Number and Gender Convergence: The Arabic Plurative

“…I assume that processes of unitization (or reunitization), or atomization (or re-atomization) contribute to building Num or Nmr structures. I concur with Bale & Coon (2014) and Bale, Coon & López (2019) that partitioning and measuring structures may or may not be relevant for the sake of Nmr or Num.…”

Classifiers can be for numerals <em>or</em> nouns: Two strategies for numeral modification

“…Bale & Coon (2014) give the starting denotation of the noun as a set of atoms. For Wilhelm (2008), Nomoto (2013), and Bale et al (2019, the noun denotes an atomic join-semilattice, containing both atoms and pluralities.…”

“…We categorize theories of numeral classifiers into two main families. One set of theories argues that classifiers are needed for numerals (e.g., Krifka 1995;Bale & Coon 2014;Bale et al 2019): the numeral is semantically dependent on the classifier. We will refer to such theories as classifier-for-numeral theories.…”