量词的范畴化功能及其等级序列

The Categorization Function and Its Hierarchical Sequence of Classifiers

学术界关于量词功能有许多不同的观点,比较重要的观点有"个体化说"、"双音化说"、"明确化说"。其实,量词的最基本功能就是把名词所代表的事物归为一类,即范畴化功能。量词的范畴化功能可以通过类型学、语法化和认知论三个视角得到确证。量词范畴化存在着等级序列,从大类看,名量词范畴化功能最强,其次是动量词,时量词不具有范畴化功能;从小类看,个体量词范畴化功能最强,其次是集合量词,度量量词不具有范畴化功能。量词范畴化的等级序列和量词类别的典型程度有关,越是典型的量词,其范畴化功能就越强。

There are many different views about the function of classifiers and the important ones include 'individualization','disyllabification'and'definition'. In fact,the most basic function of classifiers should be categorization,that is,classifiers can classify the things that nouns represent. Categorization of classifiers can be confirmed from three different perspectives such as typology,grammaticalization and the cognitive theory. There exists hierarchical sequence in categorization of classifiers. From the point of the main class of classifiers,the categorization function of the noun- classifiers is the strongest,next come the verb- classifiers,and time- classifiers does not have the function of categorization. From the point of the small class of classifiers,the categorization function of the individual classifiers is the strongest,next come the collective classifiers,and the measure classifiers does not have the function of categorization. The hierarchical sequence of classifiers categorization is related to the typical degree of the categories of classifiers. The more typical the classifiers are,the stronger the function of their categorization will be.