Classifiers In Ledong Variety Of Hainan Min Dialect

As a grammatical device of noun classification,classifiers are found typically in East Asian and Southeast Asian languages,such as Chinese,Japanese and Hmong.As a classifier language,Chinese is abundant in classifiers.However,few domestic researches have focused on the systematic description and exploration of classifiers,even less on classifiers in individual language from the perspective of typology.In view of this,the thesis aims to conduct a comprehensive and systematic analysis of the classifiers in Ledong variety of Hainan Min dialect,so as to enrich the study of classifiers in Chinese dialects and to provide case reference for the typology of classifiers.Based on the data collected from field investigation,with the typological framework of classifiers,this paper attempts to describe and analyze the classifiers in Ledong variety,focusing on their types and syntactic features,semantic parameters and semantic functions as well as pragmatic functions.Specifically,it aims to answer the following questions:（1）How many types of classifiers are identified in Ledong variety and what are the syntactic features of these different types of classifiers?（2）What kind of semantic parameters are involved in these classifiers and what are their semantic functions?（3）What pragmatic functions do these classifiers express?The research shows that classifiers in Ledong variety can be grouped into three categories of noun classifiers,numeral classifiers and possessed classifiers.Among them,the member of numeral classifiers is the largest.Regarding syntactic features,noun classifiers cannot be used independently and they need to be attached to nouns in the form of affixes.Moreover,they can co-occur with numeral classifiers.Numeral classifiers often appear in these three constructions of NUM+CL+N,DEM+CL+N and Q+CL+N.Numeral classifiers can independently act as subject,predicate verb,object,relativizer and possessive marker in a sentence.And they can co-occur with noun classifiers and with possessed classifiers.Possessed classifiers appear in the construction of POSSESSOR+CL+POSSESSED where they can co-occur with numeral classifiers,but they cannot independently act as sentence component in a sentence.In terms of semantic parameters,the semantic parameters involved in noun classifiers include animacy,gender,fertility and age;those involved in numeral classifiers consist of animacy,physical properties and functions;and those involved in possessed classifiers are comprised of physical properties and functions.With respect to semantic functions,noun classifiers have classifying and individuating functions;numeral classifiers have classifying,describing and quantifying functions;possessed classifiers have classifying,describing and quantifying functions too.When it comes to pragmatic functions,noun classifiers have affective evaluation function.Numeral classifiers possess three functions of indefiniteness,definiteness and anaphor.Possessed classifiers can express definiteness.