量词的特征分解分析

A feature decomposition analysis of classifiers

本文从跨语言的角度研究名词的计数问题。研究发现,可数名词与物质名词二分法未能反映事物属性的差异,不具有概念上的必要性,名词依赖量词实施计量原子语义操作来实现计数。量词的特征分解分析显示,汉语量词和英语复数词缀的不同特点实质上是量词语类数特征[±Num(ber)]与分类特征[±Cla(ssification)]的差异所致。对量词进行特征分解分析,能够更好地揭示语言的共性与个性差异。

This paper studies the counting device of nouns from a cross / linguistic point of view.It is argued that there is no conceptual necessity in the count-mass dichotomy of nouns,and that nouns become countable via M-ATOM function perfonned by classifiers.We show that the different properties of classifiers in Chinese and plural markers in English are due to the two optional features of classifiers:[±Cla(ssification)]and[±Num(ber)].This study gives a unified account of the classifier,which suggests that the classifier is a universal category in human languages.