Deriving classifier word order typology, or Greenberg’s Universal 20A and Universal 20

Abstract

The word order typology of numerals (Num), classifier or measure word (C/M), and noun (N) put forth by Greenberg (1990 [1972], Numerical classifiers and substantival number: Problems in the genesis of a linguistic type. In Keith Denning & Suzanne Kemmer (eds.),

Word order of numeral classifiers and numeral bases

“…(3) Greenberg's Universal 20A [Her 2017a: 298] -Part 1: Of the three elements Num, C/M, and N, any order is possible as long as Num and C/M are adjacent. 3 -Part 2: There are many more languages with the C/M-final orders than languages with C/M-initial orders.…”

“…The two potential universals, if indeed proven to be statistically significant, have critical consequences for classifier word order typology and the formal structure of the classifier phrase. If base and C/M are harmonized in word order, then indeed Num, which can be of the multiplicative [n base] composition, and C/M must be adjacent, thus excluding exactly the two unattested classifier word orders (Her 2017a). This fact then supports a left-branching structure, where Num and C/M form a constituent first before merging with N, i.e., [[Num C/M] N], over the right-branching constituency, i.e., [Num [C/M N]].…”

A Statistical Explanation of the Distribution of Sortal Classifiers in Languages of the World via Computational Classifiers

“…The connection between sortal classifiers and multiplication originates from an observation on word order. In an enumerative construction composed of numeral, classifier, and noun; cross-linguistically the noun is never attested to intervene between the numeral and the classifier (Aikhenvald, 2000, p.104-105;Greenberg, 1990b, p.185;Peyraube, 1998;Wu, Feng, & Huang, 2006;Her, 2017). As an example, constructions such as [NUM CLF N] [NUM N CLF] patterns.…”

“…For instance, if a language has sortal classifiers, the same language is very likely to have multiplicative bases (Comrie, 2006(Comrie, , 2013) in its numeral system since both structures require the concept of multiplication (Greenberg, 1990a, p.292;Her, 2017, p.298). 3 Moreover, the word order of sortal classifiers and multiplicative bases is very likely to be aligned (Her, 2017;Her et al, 2018). Taking the Chinese numeral system for example, wu-bai san-shi (five-hundred three-ten) '530ʹ has the internal relation of [(5x100)+(3x10)].…”

“…1 (1) Example of sortal classifiers in Mandarin Chinese (Sino-Tibetan) a. zhuo shang you san tiao shengzi Several theoretical approaches have been proposed to explain the distribution of sortal classifiers within languages of the world (Borer, 2005;Chierchia, 1998;Greenberg, 1990a). Two hypotheses are obtained from recent studies that approach sortal classifiers from a mathematical perspective (Her, 2017;Her & Lai, 2012;Tang, 2017). Under such a view, sortal classifiers are considered to form a multiplicative structure with the numerals and bear the exact mathematical value of one, along with the semantic feature used to highlight the following referent.…”