Nominal and verbal classification
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Walter Bisang
Abstract
The present paper starts from the observation that classification is cross-linguistically very widespread in the domain of the noun and rather rare in the domain of the verb. It argues that this asymmetry is not arbitrary. It is motivated by two conditions: (i) the markers used for classification should not interfere with other grammaticalization processes, and (ii) the use of a classification marker in later processes of grammaticalization should not impair the initial classification system. Since these conditions are violated more easily with verbs than with nouns, classification is more persistent in nominal classificaton than in verbal classification. The paper looks at compounding, which is the common denominator of many nominal and verbal classification systems and thus provides the starting point from which the differences between the two types of classification can be observed. It then looks at the semantics involved in nominal and verbal classification, and it shows that the two conditions are more easily violated in the domain of the verb than in the domain of the noun.
Abstract
The present paper starts from the observation that classification is cross-linguistically very widespread in the domain of the noun and rather rare in the domain of the verb. It argues that this asymmetry is not arbitrary. It is motivated by two conditions: (i) the markers used for classification should not interfere with other grammaticalization processes, and (ii) the use of a classification marker in later processes of grammaticalization should not impair the initial classification system. Since these conditions are violated more easily with verbs than with nouns, classification is more persistent in nominal classificaton than in verbal classification. The paper looks at compounding, which is the common denominator of many nominal and verbal classification systems and thus provides the starting point from which the differences between the two types of classification can be observed. It then looks at the semantics involved in nominal and verbal classification, and it shows that the two conditions are more easily violated in the domain of the verb than in the domain of the noun.
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
