1887
Volume 48, Issue 2
  • ISSN 0731-3500
  • E-ISSN: 2214-5907

Abstract

Abstract

Numeral classifiers in Tawrã stand out from other Tibeto-Burman languages in Northeast India for having several members, many of which do not have a nominal counterpart. Tawrã also shares the typologically uncommon order [] with neighboring Tani and Boro-Garo languages. This article has three purposes: (i) it describes the classifier system of Tawrã, an under-described language from Arunachal Pradesh, (ii) it discusses the referential effect of classification, which commonly signals individuation and (iii) it discusses the participation of classifiers in nominal compounding, a typologically uncommon construction. Although the connection between classifiers and individuation has already been established in the literature, this investigation explores examples from a naturalistic corpus, elicitation and translation.

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2025-10-13
2025-11-13
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  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): classifiers; individuation; Northeast India; Tibeto-Burman languages
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