Linguistic Realization of Measuring and Counting in the Nominal Domain: A Crosslinguistic Study of Syntactic and Semantic Variations

This thesis investigates how the knowledge of number is linguistically implemented, on the basis of a wide range of cross-linguistic data. I concentrate on cardinals, ordinals and fractions. However, the discussion in the thesis will also have broader consequences for other modifying elements in the nominal domain such as adjectives, relative clauses, possessor phrases, classifiers, etc., because the numerical expressions discussed in the thesis will be intertwined with those modifiers in the nominal domain. The thesis will also draw broader conclusions regarding the syntax and semantics of the nominal domain more generally, from a broad crosslinguistic perspective. In Chapter 2, I examine a number of properties of multiplicative complex cardinals like three hundred books. The starting point in the discussion in this chapter will be recent work by Ionin and Matushansky (2006, 2018), who argue that in a multiplicative complex cardinal like “three hundred”, the multiplier (“three”) and the multiplicand (“hundred”) have the same syntactic and semantic properties. I will point out some problems for Ionin and Matushansky’s (2018) analysis of multiplicative complex cardinals, and argue that multiplicands are syntactic heads used for measurement, whereas multipliers are phrasal constituents appearing in the specifier position of a phrase headed by the multiplicand. Chapter 3 will investigate additive complex cardinals like twenty one books. Ionin and Matushansky (2018) argue that additive complex cardinals generally involve a coordinate structure. In this regard, I argue that there are two types of coordination structure for additive complex cardinals, building on Ionin and Matushansky’s (2018) analysis of additive complex cardinals and the discussion in Chapter 2. I will also show that additive complex cardinals in some languages behave differently depending on the presence/absence of an overt coordinator. All the crosslinguistic data that will be discussed in Chapter 3 can be accounted for by assuming a non-coordinate structure of additive complex cardinals, in addition to the coordinate structure. Chapter 4 investigates the derivational patterns of ordinals like the seventh book, on the basis of results of a broad cross-linguistic survey. Based on an examination of strategies of forming ordinals in both classifier and non-classifier languages, a common property of ordinals will be identified: ordinals behave like nominal expressions. I will also examine possible and impossible constituent orders concerning ordinals, and show that ordinal markers display the same pattern as numeral classifiers regarding (im)possible constituent orders in combination with nouns and numerals. Building on this similarity, I propose that ordinal markers and numeral classifiers occur in the same position in the extended nominal projection. Chapter 5 examines linguistic expressions of fractions like two thirds of the book. It will be shown that the numerator and the denominator can include a covert/overt “part” noun in fractions on the basis of a cross-linguistic survey. I will show that the existence of the “part” element is not expected under Ionin and Matushansky’s (2018) analysis of fractions and provide an alternative analysis for the syntax and semantics of fractions. Building on the proposed analysis, I will also argue that some languages allow for two types of structures of fractions: the left-branching structure and the cascading structure.