Numeral classifier systems in the Araxes-Iran linguistic area
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Donald Stilo
Abstract
This corpus-based study discusses numeral classifiers (NCs) in neighboring languages of disparate origins: Azerbaijani (Turkic) and within Indo-European both colloquial Armenian and Vafsi (NW Iranian). Colloquial Tehran Persian and some other smaller Iranian languages, an additional Armenian dialect, a peripheral dialect of Azerbaijani, two Neo-Aramaic dialects (Semitic), and colloquial Georgian (Kartvelian) are also marginally included. This study shows that languages of very different origins have developed typologically similar classifier systems with very parallel behaviors. Although NCs in these languages are robust in usage, they represent simple systems, generally consisting of only two members: (1) a universal NC meaning ‘seed, grain’ used for all noun types (including human), and (2) an NC meaning ‘person’ optionally used for humans. The statistics of frequency of each classifier in these languages are tabulated. The diachrony of NCs in the area, their relationship to Greenbergian typology, their areality, and their fade-out phenomena are also discussed.
Abstract
This corpus-based study discusses numeral classifiers (NCs) in neighboring languages of disparate origins: Azerbaijani (Turkic) and within Indo-European both colloquial Armenian and Vafsi (NW Iranian). Colloquial Tehran Persian and some other smaller Iranian languages, an additional Armenian dialect, a peripheral dialect of Azerbaijani, two Neo-Aramaic dialects (Semitic), and colloquial Georgian (Kartvelian) are also marginally included. This study shows that languages of very different origins have developed typologically similar classifier systems with very parallel behaviors. Although NCs in these languages are robust in usage, they represent simple systems, generally consisting of only two members: (1) a universal NC meaning ‘seed, grain’ used for all noun types (including human), and (2) an NC meaning ‘person’ optionally used for humans. The statistics of frequency of each classifier in these languages are tabulated. The diachrony of NCs in the area, their relationship to Greenbergian typology, their areality, and their fade-out phenomena are also discussed.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
- Abbreviations and conventions ix
- Introduction 1
- The semantic reduction of the noun universe and the diachrony of nominal classification 9
- Niger-Congo numeral classifiers in a diachronic perspective 33
- Semantic generalization in Ch’orti’ Mayan numeral classifiers 77
- Diachronic and synchronic aspects of the simplification of grammatical gender in an obsolescent language 107
- Numeral classifier systems in the Araxes-Iran linguistic area 135
- The diachrony of Oceanic possessive classifiers 165
- Development and diffusion of classifier systems in Southwestern Amazonia 201
- Nominal and verbal classification 241
- The diachrony of inflectional classes in four Germanic languages 283
- The history of verb classification in Nyulnyulan languages 315
- Author index 353
- Language index 355
- Subject index 359
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
- Abbreviations and conventions ix
- Introduction 1
- The semantic reduction of the noun universe and the diachrony of nominal classification 9
- Niger-Congo numeral classifiers in a diachronic perspective 33
- Semantic generalization in Ch’orti’ Mayan numeral classifiers 77
- Diachronic and synchronic aspects of the simplification of grammatical gender in an obsolescent language 107
- Numeral classifier systems in the Araxes-Iran linguistic area 135
- The diachrony of Oceanic possessive classifiers 165
- Development and diffusion of classifier systems in Southwestern Amazonia 201
- Nominal and verbal classification 241
- The diachrony of inflectional classes in four Germanic languages 283
- The history of verb classification in Nyulnyulan languages 315
- Author index 353
- Language index 355
- Subject index 359
