一磅面条
Numerical classifiers in Mandarin Chinese Student: Karen Huang(鈺婷)
Debates on the semantic redundancy of numeral classifiers (p50) Though in most classifier language the surface syntax of a count-noun classifier
structure is often identical with that of mass-noun classifier, a count-noun classifier is quite different from a mass-noun classifier in its relationship to the head noun.
(17) a. 一顆糖 ke is considered a numeral classifier.
b. 一磅糖 bang is a standard weight unit .
c. 一盒糖 he is a container mass-noun classifier.
Syntactically, the three phrases above all share the same structure. Both weight units
and mass-noun classifiers are extrinsic to the head noun and belong to an open-ended
class. For example, we can also say:
(18) a. 一磅糖
b. 一磅麵條
c. 一盒雞
d. 一盒麵條
Those noun entities that can be naturally counted in single units such as “a book” or
“a chicken” or “ a noodle” usually take a count-noun classifier that requires the
presence of some intrinsic feature and is not open to unlimited extension.
The appropriate numeral classifiers for “chicken” and “noodle” are zhi隻 (a classifier for animals) and gen根 (a shape classifier indicating long and stiff), respectively.
A count-noun classifier denotes some inherent or permanent features of a noun,
Adams and Conklin therefore claim that “numeral classifiers qualify the head noun.”
Greenberg sees classifiers as indicating units of the collective ensemble expressed by
the noun and, as such , they add no meaning to the noun other than providing
redundant information.
For example, in Chinese phrase 這根棍子, the semantic features of long and
one-dimensional indicated by the classifier 根 seem to be redundant as they are
already implied in the head noun since “ a stick” is called such because it is one-dimensional and stiff, and it would not be called “ a stick “ if it were round or square.
Greenberg’s theory of redundancy presupposes that the use of a numeral classifier
adds no new information but just repeats or reinforces what is already inherent or
present in the noun.
The problem of his theory is that in classifier language, a noun entity may have
shifting and different semantic reference, and it is often through the use of a particular
classifier that the meaning becomes clear and specified.
Numerical classifiers in Mandarin Chinese Student: Karen Huang(鈺婷)
As Becker (1975) has sated, “a given noun may be included in several different places
in the classifier system” and “the classifier is, in part, an indication of the context in
which one is speaking about something.” In other words, the use of a specific classifier as shown above not only connotes a
particular meaning but also suggests a pragmatic stance high-lighting the speaker’s
intention about the information to be conveyed.
Adams also finds that classifiers do carry meanings and can “be manipulated to say
different things about the object in question” For example, the Chinese word ke課 has at least two very different meanings in the school context’ it can mean “ a class one takes for a particular day” or “a course one
takes for the whole semester”.
(21) a. 三堂課 (“three classes”)
b. 三門課 (“ three courses”)
The Chinese noun entity ke課 is ambiguous, only through the use of a particular count-noun classifier can its meaning be clear. Therefore, Chinese numeral classifiers
can add meanings and clarify ambiguities. The semantic relation between a noun and
its classifier also requires agreement at the discourse level. A sentence can be
semantically unacceptable if a wrong classifier is used.
(22) b. * 我今天上了三門課。
(23) b. * 我這學期上了三堂課。
Sometimes, we can see that the meaning of a classifier is not redundant at all but
plays a crucial role in differentiation the meanings of a noun entity. (which we can see
in the example(24)and(25)).
It is assumed that a particular noun can take several classifiers because the noun as a
symbol is imprecise and its physical referents can have different enough
characteristics that different classifiers are appropriate for them.
?Evidently, form Chinese and other classifier languages suggest that numeral
classifiers not only carry meanings, they are sometimes crucial in determining the
multiple meanings of a particular noun.
5. Classifier and stylistic effects (p53) Count-noun classifiers can carry meaning due to the fact that different classifiers can
be used with the same noun for various stylistic effects or the speaker’s intentions.
Numerical classifiers in Mandarin Chinese Student: Karen Huang(鈺婷)
(26) a. 一張畫。 (27) a. 一個羊
b. 一幅畫。 b. 一隻羊
c. 一箴畫。 c. 一頭羊 The same noun hua畫 occurs with three different classifiers. Although the referential
meaning of hua remains the same in all three examples, there are different semantic
connotations due to the use of different classifiers.
Interestingly, the degree of formality is correlated with the range of objects these
classifiers can be used to refer to. As a classifier, 箴 has the most narrow range and a very exclusive classifier; fu幅 also has limited range; and 張 is much more
inclusive and can be used for object in diverse.
In other words, the degree of formality of the style decreases as the number of items
counted by a classifier increases.
It is found that adults tend to use more classifiers and more specific ones children, an
indication that children would start using more general classifiers as they matured.
Traditionally, Mandarin require an invariant, specific classifier in an enormous variety
of cases, but in everyday usage and conversations, adults as well as children tend to
use the general rather than the more specified classifiers.
6 Classifiers and semantic motivation (p54) It is not uncommon for classifiers sometimes to appear to group heterogeneous
entities into one class with no apparent semantic motivation.
When nouns are taught in school, they are taught with their accompanying classifier.
Speakers can recall the classifier to be used with a noun, but in speech they do not
always use that classifier.
In other words, form a psycholinguistic stance, native speakers may have a perceived
notion of “correct” classifier use based often on prototypes; however, it may
sometimes be difficult to draw a clear-cut classifier-noun relationship because
semantic motivation is not always predictable.
There is no clear shared prototypical or semantic reason why these nouns can be
grouped together under the classifier bu 部: (29)a. 一部小說 (30) a.一隻貓
b. 一部電影 b.一隻老虎
c. 一部轎車 c. 一隻鳥 / 一隻螃蟹 In the case of (30), one classifier can be used with nouns of different categorization
because the classifier itself carries multiple lexical meanings. The classifier 隻 which
Numerical classifiers in Mandarin Chinese Student: Karen Huang(鈺婷)
can be used as a generic classifier for animals listed above.
The objects classified by 隻 are as diverse and randomly not because they have some
shared prototypical properties, instead, 隻 as a classifier had multiple lexical
meanings that can crosscut semantic domains.
The Chinese classifier system can be arbitrary at times and that linguistic convention
rather than semantic motivation may be a factor in accounting for the use of a
classifier. The use of classifiers is a matter that must be treated not only as a part of
the grammar of the language but also as a part of its lexicography.
Conclusion: (p56~57) 1. Numeral classification is an instance of the use of a linguistic device for the
purpose of categorization. However, empirical evidence seems to indicate that
linguistic categorization is a highly language-specific and culturally motivated
activity as well.
2. It is not uncommon that a number of objects may appear to be arbitrarily grouped
into one class based not on cognitive attributes but simply by linguistic convention. Since the relationship between noun and classifier is not always explicable and
predictable.
3. Adults as well as children tend to use this general classifier in a situation when they are uncertain about what classifier they must use for a particular noun. This may
also explain why empirical studies on the use of Chinese classifiers often find that in actual conversations and speech acts there is an overwhelmingly high tendency
to use the general classifier ge.
4. Moreover, classifiers themselves also play multiple roles in the language system.
Not only can they play a quantifying role, but they also carry out a qualifying role by providing additional semantic information.