The Structure of Classifier Constructions and Some Related Theoretical Issues

Abstract

Some questions regarding the analysis of classifiers and classifier constructions are raised in this paper. The classifier, as a mere adjunct adjoining to the head, cannot serve as the head of the noun phrase containing it, and as a result, it cannot project as ClP or nP. Under this approach, the DP analysis and the classifier construction theory are further refined. The constituents which precede and follow the classifier are analyzed in terms of their syntactic functions, semantic relations, linear features, feature assignment and syntactic occurrence in order to represent the classifier construction with the X-bar phrase structure theory appropriately and correctly and present a universal approach to classifier constructions in various languages.