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Volume 30, Issue 3
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Abstract

Abstract

Nung (Tai, Kra-Dai) is a numeral-classifier language that contains the Classifier-Noun (, or ‘bare classifier’) construction. Drawing on Langacker’s Cognitive Grammar (Langacker 1987200420082017) (CG), I argue that the use of a Nung phrase is only possible when it refers to a unique instance in the of the . This explains why phrases show a definite-like meaning contrast with other types of nominal phrases (NPs) in Nung, as well as why Nung phrases can be interpreted as either specific or non-specific indefinite. This paper makes two theoretical contributions. Firstly, it shows that the existing theory of numeral classifiers within CG, which is based on the unitization function of numeral classifiers, is not sufficient to account for the meaning contrast between and other types of NP in Nung. Secondly, given that a referent that exists in the need not exist in the actual world or pre-exist in the discourse, this paper illustrates how a referent can satisfy a presupposition of uniqueness without satisfying a presupposition of existence in the actual world or in the discourse.

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2023-12-18
2024-10-08

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/content/journals/10.1075/fol.22042.lam
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Definite-like meaning of bare classifiers in Nung
Functions of Language 30, 287 (2023); https://doi.org/10.1075/fol.22042.lam
/content/journals/10.1075/fol.22042.lam
/content/journals/10.1075/fol.22042.lam
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  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): bare classifier; Cognitive Grammar; definiteness; Kra-Dai; nominal grounding; numeral classifier

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