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Chapter 2. Number and noun categorisation

A view from north-west Amazonia
  • Alexandra Y. Aikhenvald
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Number – Constructions and Semantics
This chapter is in the book Number – Constructions and Semantics

Abstract

A combination of number marking, on the one hand, and genders, animacy and classifiers of various sorts on the other, may form the basis for semantic subcategorisation of nominal referents, in addition to further such devices. The paper investigates number as a noun categorisation device in a selection of languages in north-west Amazonia, each with a system of classifiers used in several morphosyntactic contexts. Number is shown to be prone to areal diffusion in situations of language contact.

Abstract

A combination of number marking, on the one hand, and genders, animacy and classifiers of various sorts on the other, may form the basis for semantic subcategorisation of nominal referents, in addition to further such devices. The paper investigates number as a noun categorisation device in a selection of languages in north-west Amazonia, each with a system of classifiers used in several morphosyntactic contexts. Number is shown to be prone to areal diffusion in situations of language contact.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. List of tables, maps and figures vii
  4. Abbreviations xi
  5. Preface xv
  6. Chapter 1. One size fits all? 1
  7. Chapter 2. Number and noun categorisation 33
  8. Chapter 3. Pluractionality and the distribution of number marking across categories 57
  9. Chapter 4. Figuratively speaking – number in Kharia 77
  10. Chapter 5. Number in Kambaata 111
  11. Chapter 6. The history of numeral classifiers in Teiwa (Papuan) 135
  12. Chapter 7. Number and numeration in Nêlêmwa and Zuanga (New Caledonia) 167
  13. Chapter 8. When number meets classification 199
  14. Chapter 9. Number in Dinka 221
  15. Chapter 10. Counting chickens in Luwo 265
  16. Chapter 11. Number in South-Bauchi West languages (Chadic, Nigeria) 283
  17. Chapter 12. Number and numerals in Zande 309
  18. Chapter 13. Numerals in Papuan languages of the Greater Awyu family 329
  19. Author index 355
  20. Language index 359
  21. Subject index 363
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.151.02aik

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. List of tables, maps and figures vii
  4. Abbreviations xi
  5. Preface xv
  6. Chapter 1. One size fits all? 1
  7. Chapter 2. Number and noun categorisation 33
  8. Chapter 3. Pluractionality and the distribution of number marking across categories 57
  9. Chapter 4. Figuratively speaking – number in Kharia 77
  10. Chapter 5. Number in Kambaata 111
  11. Chapter 6. The history of numeral classifiers in Teiwa (Papuan) 135
  12. Chapter 7. Number and numeration in Nêlêmwa and Zuanga (New Caledonia) 167
  13. Chapter 8. When number meets classification 199
  14. Chapter 9. Number in Dinka 221
  15. Chapter 10. Counting chickens in Luwo 265
  16. Chapter 11. Number in South-Bauchi West languages (Chadic, Nigeria) 283
  17. Chapter 12. Number and numerals in Zande 309
  18. Chapter 13. Numerals in Papuan languages of the Greater Awyu family 329
  19. Author index 355
  20. Language index 359
  21. Subject index 363
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