5 Towards a typology of singulatives: Definition and overview of markers
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Silva Nurmio
Abstract
The singulative is a category that has never been mapped out crosslinguistically. This article begins to do that, starting with a definition and a disambiguation of terminology related to grammatical methods of individuation and unitization. The singulative is argued to be one strategy to denote individuals and units, and it occurs as part of many different number systems. I present a typological overview of markers, both those which are straightforward to analyse as singulatives and more ambiguous examples. This allows us to test and define the boundaries of this category and its overlap with others (e.g. the diminutive). I also suggest some diachronic developments which further illustrate the relationship between the singulative and other categories.
Abstract
The singulative is a category that has never been mapped out crosslinguistically. This article begins to do that, starting with a definition and a disambiguation of terminology related to grammatical methods of individuation and unitization. The singulative is argued to be one strategy to denote individuals and units, and it occurs as part of many different number systems. I present a typological overview of markers, both those which are straightforward to analyse as singulatives and more ambiguous examples. This allows us to test and define the boundaries of this category and its overlap with others (e.g. the diminutive). I also suggest some diachronic developments which further illustrate the relationship between the singulative and other categories.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Contents VII
- 1 The tonal marking of number on nominals in the Wagi dialect of Beria 1
- 2 Number inflection of English loanwords in Welsh 35
- 3 Two morphologies, two stress systems, shaken, not stirred: Number marking on Russian borrowings in Kamas 63
- 4 On co-plurals: Cross-linguistic evidence of competing pluralization strategies in the domain of nouns 107
- 5 Towards a typology of singulatives: Definition and overview of markers 155
- Index 183
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Contents VII
- 1 The tonal marking of number on nominals in the Wagi dialect of Beria 1
- 2 Number inflection of English loanwords in Welsh 35
- 3 Two morphologies, two stress systems, shaken, not stirred: Number marking on Russian borrowings in Kamas 63
- 4 On co-plurals: Cross-linguistic evidence of competing pluralization strategies in the domain of nouns 107
- 5 Towards a typology of singulatives: Definition and overview of markers 155
- Index 183
