Verbal classifiers in Chinese
Gao, Yanan
Verbal classifiers in Chinese - 2021.
33
In standard Mandarin, verbal classifiers, alongside cardinals, are used to count the iteration or duration of an action. This article discusses the different types of verbal classifiers by questioning the traditional classification, which our studies show is problematic: the traditional specific verbal classifiers are not exclusively verbal; they can also be used for nouns and are therefore polyfunctional and polysemic. Additionally, the classifiers used temporarily in verbal quantification can be of verbal or nominal origin, and are also polyfunctional. Verbal classifiers are frequency or duration complements when they are postverbal, and circumstantial frequency complements when they are preverbal. With these two positions, we can observe different semantic or pragmatic values: v + card + clv only expresses objective quantity or duration, while card + clv + v highlights situational features, and expresses subjective quantity or the short duration of an action with certain communicative aims.
Verbal classifiers in Chinese - 2021.
33
In standard Mandarin, verbal classifiers, alongside cardinals, are used to count the iteration or duration of an action. This article discusses the different types of verbal classifiers by questioning the traditional classification, which our studies show is problematic: the traditional specific verbal classifiers are not exclusively verbal; they can also be used for nouns and are therefore polyfunctional and polysemic. Additionally, the classifiers used temporarily in verbal quantification can be of verbal or nominal origin, and are also polyfunctional. Verbal classifiers are frequency or duration complements when they are postverbal, and circumstantial frequency complements when they are preverbal. With these two positions, we can observe different semantic or pragmatic values: v + card + clv only expresses objective quantity or duration, while card + clv + v highlights situational features, and expresses subjective quantity or the short duration of an action with certain communicative aims.
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