Numeral base, numeral classifier, and noun
Word order harmonization
One-Soon Her | National Chengchi University
Greenberg (1990a: 292) suggests that classifiers (clf) and numeral
bases tend to harmonize in word order, i.e. a numeral (Num) with a base-final [n base] order appears in a
clf-final [Num clf] order, e.g. in Mandarin Chinese, san1-bai3 (three hundred) ‘300’ and san1
zhi1 gou3 (three clfanimal dog) ‘three dogs’, and a base-initial [base n] Num appears in a clf-initial [clf Num]
order, e.g. in Kilivila (Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic), akatu-tolu (hundred three) ‘300’ and na-tolu
yena (clfanimal-three fish) ‘three fish’. In non-classifier languages, base and noun (N) tend to harmonize in word order. We propose that
harmonization between clf and N should also obtain. A detailed statistical analysis of a geographically and phylogenetically
weighted set of 400 languages shows that the harmonization of word order between numeral bases, classifiers, and nouns is statistically
highly significant, as only 8.25% (33/400) of the languages display violations, which are mostly located at the meeting points between
head-final and head-initial languages, indicating that language contact is the main factor in the violations to the probabilistic
universals.
Keywords: numeral, numeral base, classifier, noun, word order, harmonization
Published online: 18 September 2020
https://doi.org/10.1075/lali.00069.all
https://doi.org/10.1075/lali.00069.all
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