Publishing Partner: Cambridge University Press CUP Extra Publisher Login
amazon logo
More Info

New from Cambridge University Press!

ad

From Utterances to Speech Acts

By Mikhail Kissine

"Kissine offers a new theory of speech acts which is philosophically sophisticated and builds on work in cognitive science, formal semantics, and linguistic typology. This highly readable, brilliant essay is a major contribution to the field."

--François Recanati, Institut Jean-Nicod

Write better papers faster with Questia!

Summary Details


Query:   Typology of Noun Classifiers
Author:  Lisa Johnson
Submitter Email:  click here to access email
Linguistic LingField(s):   Morphology
Syntax
Typology

Summary:   For Query: Linguist 11.277

Here is a belated summary of the responses to my question about the
typology of classifiers.

Thank you to the following people for their kind assistance:

Robin Sackmann
Earl Herrick
Ashlee Bailey
Mike Maxwell
Claire Bowern
Mike Beaken
Alexandra Y. Aikenvald


Alexandra Y. Aikhenvald wrote:

"The use of noun classifiers (sometimes called 'generics'), of
numeral classifiers and classifiers of other types is discussed at great
length in my forthcoming book CLASSIFIERS; A TYPOLOGY OF NOUN
CATGORIZATION DEVICES (to appear in April-May 2000, Oxford: OUP; 540 pp)
(especially see Chapter 12, on functions of classifiers)."

Several people identified languages and language families that feature
rich classifier systems. These included Bantu languages, Tucanoan
languages, Kilivila, Wao, Auca, and languages of the Bora family.
Specific studies on these languages deal with classifier issues.

Specifically recommended sources:

Sackmann, Robin. 2000. "Numeratives in Mandarin Chinese". In:
Petra M. Vogel, and Bernard Comrie (eds.). Approaches to the Typology of
Word Classes. Berlin etc.: Mouton de Gruyter. 421-477.

Becker, A.L. (1975) A linguistic image of nature: Burmese
numeral classifiers Linguistics 165; 109-121

Corbett G (1991) Gender Cambridge UP

Creider, C (1975) The Semantic system of noun-classes in
proto-Bantu. Anthropological Linguistics 17; 127-138

Senft, G (1996) Classificatory Particles in Kilivila. Oxford,
NY; OUP

Lakoff, G (1986) Classifiers as a reflection of mind, in C.
Craig (ed.) Noun Classes & Categorization, Amsterdam; Benjamins

Denny, J. P. & C. Creider (1986) The Semantics of Noun classes
in Proto Bantu in C. Craig (ed.) Noun Classes & Categorization,
Amsterdam; Benjamins 217-240

Craig, C. G. (1986) Jacaltec Noun Classifiers, in C. Craig (ed.)
Noun Classes & Categorization, Amsterdam; Benjamins p 263 - 293

M. Beaken The Making of Language 1996, Edinburgh, pp. 143-6,
164-5, 170.

Since my request, I have also found another useful article:

Croft, William. 1994. Semantic universals in classifier systems.
Word, 45, 2, 145-171

LL Issue: 11.610
Date Posted: 18-Mar-2000
Original Query: Read original query


Back

Sums main page