ATLAS OF LANGUAGE

AT-144-003 · ATLAS 251

Numeral classifier

A grammatical element that identifies a unit or semantic class of a noun when counting.

Explanation

In classifier languages a numeral does not always combine directly with a noun. A classifier may foreground shape, animacy or a conventional unit of enumeration.

Example

Vietnamese hai con chó places the animal classifier con between ‘two’ and ‘dog’. Mandarin can count flowers with classifiers that foreground stalks or blossoms.

Counterexample

English three glasses of water contains a measure expression but does not establish a general system of obligatory sortal classifiers.

Distinction

numeral + classifier + noun

Effect on thought and perception

Shows that counting not only assigns a quantity but individuates objects under a selected form.

Resonance

Quantification becomes perspectivisation rather than a neutral numerical label.

Cite this entry

Reich, Michael (Hrsg./ed.): „Numeral classifier“. Atlas der Sprache, AT-144-003. ATLAS 251, data model 1.6.0. https://atlasoflanguage.com/concept/AT-144-003

https://atlasoflanguage.com/concept/AT-144-003

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