Chinese Dynamic Classifiers Study

This thesis,based on research to dynamic classifiers, that means classifiersderiving from verbs,with the integrated use of linguistic theories such asgrammaticalization,linguistic inventory typology, image schema and profile,topicand focus,and construction grammar, makes an systematical and in-depth analysis todynamic classifiers and their constructions. This article reveals grammar features,functions and forming and operating mechanisms of dynamic classifiers and theirconstructions, and commits to applying research result of these noumeno intoteaching Chinese as a second language to improve the efficiency of teachingclassifiers. The article is divided into seven parts:Chapter I is the introduction,describing the background, research status,research methods and corpus sources.Chapter II is an overview study of dynamic classifiers. Firstly, the articledefines the dynamic classifiers to determine the range according to the principles ofcombining forms and meanings; then divides the dynamic classifiers into twocategories and six subcategories with multi-perspectives and multi-standards tostructure the levels of dynamic classifiers; finally describes the grammaticalfeatures and functions of dynamic classifiers.Chapter III is the study of the evolution and development of the dynamicclassifiers.We constructs dynamic classifiers'evolutionary trajectory as examples of"b ? ","b?o"and"gu ò " from diachronic perspectives; and investigate thegrammaticalization mechanisms of dynamic classifiers from cognitive metonymy,syntactic re-analysis, semantic expansion and the internal regulation of quantifierssystem.We analyse the grammaticalization motivation of dynamic classifiers fromthe language expression, language type and expansive power of mighty wordcategories. Our study is not limited to the diachronic development of dynamicclassifiers,besides that it focuses on dynamic classifiers categorys' dynamiccharacteristic to explore the manifestation and reason of verbal classifierde-categorization.Chapter IV focuses on the studies of cross-class quantifiers in the dynamicquantifiers system. Firstly,it discusses the manifestations of cross-class quantifiers;then analyzes the history and reason of the formation of cross-class quantifiers;Finally, it discusses the kink of nominal and dynamic cross-class quantifiers.Chapter V discusses some problems about dynamic classifier constructions.Dynamic classifier constructions can be divied into two categories: noun classifierconstructions and action classifier constructions. Firstly,we investigate unbalanceperformance and reason of "numeral+dynamic classifier+noun"and"noun+numeral+dynamic classifier "constructions from six aspects including usage frequency, degree of self-sufficiency, expansion ability, semantic function, and focusof attention. Then we analyse the asymmetry of "numeral+dynamic classifier+verb"and "verb+numeral+dynamic classifier" constructions from position and functionaspects.We endeavour to expose the real cause of these two constructions'asymmetry by combining the diachronic, synchronic and cross linguistic researchtogether. Finally, we discuss the generative mechanism and cognitive motivation ofquantity relationship construction about dynamic classifiers.Chapter VI,our research results about noumena of dynamic quantifiers areapplied to teaching Chinese as a second language. For grammatical features ofdynamic quantifiers, it proposes some effective teaching methods and skills in orderto provide better guidance on dynamic quantifiers teaching, thus improving theefficiency of quantifiers teaching in teaching Chinese as a second language.Chapter VII is the conclusion of the article. It summarizes the principal views,innovations, and shortcomings of this article.