Co-Varying Collexeme Analysis of Chinese Classifiers 棵 kē and 株 zhū

Sinica venetiana - Corpus-Based Research on Chinese Language and Linguistics ◽

10.30687/978-88-6969-406-6/008 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Wei-lun Lu ◽

Aneta Dosedlová

Keyword(s):

Euclidean Distance ◽

East Asian ◽

Grammatical Category ◽

Standard Chinese ◽

Numeral Classifier ◽

Asian Languages ◽

Modern Standard ◽

Chinese Classifiers

The numeral classifier is a grammatical category in plenty of East Asian languages, with Modern Standard Chinese being one of the most widely reported. In Chinese, there are many classifiers that are near-synonymous, meaning that certain classifiers may be interchangeable in certain contexts. However, these classifiers are used with semantically similar nouns, and as a result, the distinction between the various usages is not always clear. In view of this issue, we propose to study near-synonymous classifiers using the co-varying collexeme method and the Euclidean distance, illustrating with 棵 kē and 株 zhū. We report results that not only partially confirm but also complement what has been found in previous raw-frequency-based research.

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Hearts and minds in South-East asian languages and english : an essay in the comparative lexical semantics of psycho-collocations

Cahiers de linguistique - Asie orientale ◽

10.3406/clao.1986.1191 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

pp. 5-57 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

James Matisoff

Keyword(s):

Lexical Semantics ◽

East Asian ◽

Asian Languages ◽

Hearts And Minds

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Bare classifier phrases in Thai and other mainland Asian languages: implications for classifier theory and typology

Linguistic Typology ◽

10.1515/lingty-2020-2071 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Nitipong Pichetpan ◽

Mark W. Post

Keyword(s):

Comprehensive Analysis ◽

The Core ◽

Core Function ◽

Nominal Classification ◽

Discourse Functions ◽

And Gender ◽

Referential Function ◽

Asian Languages ◽

Modern Standard

Abstract This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the little-known “bare classifier phrase” construction in Modern Standard Thai. It describes the syntax, semantics and discourse functions of Thai bare classifier phrases, and further proposes a diachronic account of their origin in reduction of post-posed numeral ‘one’. Following this synchronic and diachronic description, this article attempts to locate Thai within a working typology of bare classifier constructions in mainland Asian languages, and further argues for the importance of bare classifier constructions to the theory of classifiers more generally. Following Bisang (1999) and others, it argues that bare classifier constructions reveal the core function of classifiers in Asian languages to be individuation – a referential function. It therefore cautions against some recent proposals to merge classifiers and gender markers within a single categorical space defined on the semantic basis of nominal classification, and in favour of continuing to treat classifiers as a discrete linguistic category – in mainland Asian languages, at least.

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Historical change of word classes

Diachronica ◽

10.1075/dia.29.2.03ger ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 29 (2) ◽

pp. 162-200 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Matthias Gerner

Keyword(s):

Target Word ◽

Case Studies ◽

East Asian ◽

Historical Change ◽

Temporal Parameter ◽

Word Class ◽

Process Of Change ◽

Word Classes ◽

Asian Languages ◽

Typical Process

This paper isolates four parameters that guide the historical change of word classes: the quantificational parameter, the directional parameter, the preservative parameter and the temporal parameter. These parameters are involved in the organization of seven case studies in East Asian languages. Based on these case studies I define four diachronic tendencies that apply to East Asian languages and perhaps beyond: (1) the greater the size of the target word class, the lower the number of new acquired meanings; (2) if a word class engages on a path of change, then the greater its size, the more likely it is that the process of change in which it engages will be lexicalization; (3) in a typical process of grammaticalization relatively more meanings are generated than in a typical process of lexicalization; (4) processes of grammaticalization represent temporally short processes more often than processes of lexicalization.

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Linguistic Temporality, Logical Meaning and Narrative Perspectives: Adverbs /zai/ and /you/ in Modern Standard Chinese

Acta Linguistica Asiatica ◽

10.4312/ala.1.2.25-38 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 25-38

Author(s):

Jens KARLSSON

Keyword(s):

Semantic Information ◽

Semantic Content ◽

Conceptual Analogy ◽

Semantic Encoding ◽

Standard Chinese ◽

Decompositional Analysis ◽

Modern Standard ◽

Temporal Adverbs

In this paper is presented an inquiry into some aspects of the meaning and usage of two temporal adverbs zai (再) and you (又) in Modern Standard Chinese. A decompositional analysis of the semantic encoding of the adverbs is conducted, aiming to better explain their recorded differences in usage. First, a sketch of some of the fundamental features of linguistic temporality is provided in order to model the structure of temporal semantic information encoded in the adverbs. Non-temporal (logical) meaning such as assertion and inference is also shown to be an important aspect of the semantic content of the adverbs. Adverbs zai and you are shown to encode the same semantic content except for a difference in viewpoint; the first being prospective, the second retrospective. Concrete linguistic examples reflecting the intrinsic semantic encoding of the adverbs are raised and discussed. It is then argued that through combining the decompositional analysis with ideas concerning conceptual analogy, some issues raised by Lu and Ma (1999) regarding the usage of zai and you in past and future settings may be resolved.

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