Nung (Tai, Kra-Dai) is a numeral-classifier language that contains the Classifier-Noun (
cl-n, or ‘bare
classifier’) construction. Drawing on Langacker’s Cognitive Grammar (
Langacker 1987,
2004,
2008,
2017) (CG), I argue that the use of a Nung
cl-n phrase is only possible when it refers to a
unique instance in the
current discourse frame of the
current discourse space. This explains why
cl-n
phrases show a definite-like meaning contrast with other types of nominal phrases (NPs) in Nung, as well as why Nung
cl-n
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
cl-n and other types of NP in Nung. Secondly,
given that a referent that exists in the
current discourse frame 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.