Hungarian is a classifier language
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Anikó Csirmaz
Abstract
We present an overview of classifiers, a subgroup of what Simone & Masini (this volume) call Light Nouns. Three major types have been distinguished: group, sortal and mensural classifiers. Focusing on group and sortal classifiers, we establish a battery of tests which diagnose the membership in the appropriate classifier subgroup. It is argued that some of the tests established have universal validity, while the applicability of others depends on language-specific factors. The tests are called upon to support the claim that Hungarian is a classifier language. We show that Hungarian has the hallmarks of a classifier language indeed, which warrants a treatment similar to the more familiar Southeast Asian classifier languages. As for the category of sortal and group classifiers, it is suggested that while the sortal classifiers represent a functional category in the extended projection of the noun, the group classifiers are nouns themselves that take an optional nominal complement. Finally, we show how the distributional differences between sortal and group classifiers fall out from this proposal.
Abstract
We present an overview of classifiers, a subgroup of what Simone & Masini (this volume) call Light Nouns. Three major types have been distinguished: group, sortal and mensural classifiers. Focusing on group and sortal classifiers, we establish a battery of tests which diagnose the membership in the appropriate classifier subgroup. It is argued that some of the tests established have universal validity, while the applicability of others depends on language-specific factors. The tests are called upon to support the claim that Hungarian is a classifier language. We show that Hungarian has the hallmarks of a classifier language indeed, which warrants a treatment similar to the more familiar Southeast Asian classifier languages. As for the category of sortal and group classifiers, it is suggested that while the sortal classifiers represent a functional category in the extended projection of the noun, the group classifiers are nouns themselves that take an optional nominal complement. Finally, we show how the distributional differences between sortal and group classifiers fall out from this proposal.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Foreword and acknowledgements vii
- Introduction 1
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PART I. Types of word classes
- Carving verb classes from corpora 17
- Classes of creation verbs 37
- On Light Nouns 51
- The ‘new adjectives’ of Tswana 75
- The Chinese adjective as a word class 95
- Qualifying modifier encoding and adjectival typology 119
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PART II. Minor and neglected word classes
- Hungarian is a classifier language 141
- Cardinal numerals 161
- On the borders of neglected word classes 181
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PART III. Across word classes
- Between adjective and noun 203
- On decategorization and its relevance in German 227
-
PART IV. Radical views: Do we really need word classes?
- Word-class features and reduplicative meaning 245
- Half and other unique words 263
- Index of languages 283
- Index of names 285
- Index of subjects 289
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Foreword and acknowledgements vii
- Introduction 1
-
PART I. Types of word classes
- Carving verb classes from corpora 17
- Classes of creation verbs 37
- On Light Nouns 51
- The ‘new adjectives’ of Tswana 75
- The Chinese adjective as a word class 95
- Qualifying modifier encoding and adjectival typology 119
-
PART II. Minor and neglected word classes
- Hungarian is a classifier language 141
- Cardinal numerals 161
- On the borders of neglected word classes 181
-
PART III. Across word classes
- Between adjective and noun 203
- On decategorization and its relevance in German 227
-
PART IV. Radical views: Do we really need word classes?
- Word-class features and reduplicative meaning 245
- Half and other unique words 263
- Index of languages 283
- Index of names 285
- Index of subjects 289
