Functional, structural, and functional-structural classifications of Chinese cardinal numerals

L.L. Bankova

Moscow City University, Moscow, 129226 Russia

E-mail: lwittsa@yandex.ru

Received August 17, 2021

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Full text PDF

DOI: 10.26907/2541-7738.2021.4-5.175-193

For citation: Bankova L.L. Functional, structural, and functional-structural classifications of Chinese cardinal numerals. Uchenye Zapiski Kazanskogo Universiteta. Seriya Gumanitarnye Nauki, 2021, vol. 163, no. 4–5, pp. 175–193. doi: 10.26907/2541-7738.2021.4-5.175-193. (In Russian)

Abstract

Classification of cardinal numerals is an important step in studying Chinese numerals. The study is carried out in the framework of the functional, structural (morphemic), and functional-structural (combined) classification approaches, as well as in accordance with the integrity of numerals and the accuracy of their quantifying properties. Chinese numerals are considered from the perspective of the first three classifications. The results obtained reveal the nomenclature volatility of Chinese cardinal numerals with the same classification group having several names to denote it. Hence, the article attempts to streamline the respective terminology.

The functional classification divides cardinal numerals into coefficient and digit-position numerals. The cases when digit-position numerals may function as coefficient numerals are analyzed.

In the framework of the structural classification, it is suggested to divide cardinal numerals into simple (coefficient) and compound ones, the latter being broken into additive (elementary and miscellaneous) and multiplicative. The article also focuses on answering the question of whether compound numerals should be regarded as words or phrases. The conclusion is made that they should be perceived as words.

The functional-structural classification makes a substantial contribution to the study of Chinese cardinal numerals. The classification has not been introduced to the Russian sinology yet. This fact entails the necessity to translate the respective terms and expressions, the choice of which is explained in this article. The variations of the combined functional-structural classification introduced by Zhu Dexi, Guan Yanqìng, Xiao Guozheng, and Li Yingzhe are discussed. Based on the analysis of these variations, an understanding of the combined functional-structural division of Chinese cardinal numerals is suggested.

Keywords: Chinese language, Chinese cardinal numerals, functional classification, structural (morphemic) classification, functional-structural classification

References

1. Dragunov A.A. Issledovaniya po grammatike sovremennogo kitaiskogo yazyka [Studies on Modern Chinese Grammar]. Vol. 1: Parts of speech. Мoscow, Izd. Akad. Nauk SSSR, 1952. 231 p. (In Russian)
2. D’yachkova I.N. The evolution of mathematical thinking and genesis of numerals as parts of speech. Uchenye Zapiski Petrozavodskogo Gosudarstvennogo Universiteta, 2018, vol. 173, no. 4. pp. 49–54. doi: 10.15393/uchz.art.2018.148. (In Russian)
3. Balalykina E.A. Numerals as special category in modern Russian language. Uchenye Zapiski Kazanskogo Universiteta. Seriya Gumanitarnye Nauki, 2009, vol. 151, no. 3, pp. 205–214. (In Russian)
4. Starikova G.N. Current numerals in the aspect of language dynamics. Vestnik Tomskogo Gosudarstvennogo Universiteta, 2011, no. 4, pp. 34–40. (In Russian)
5. Vinogradov V.V. Numerals. In: Vinogradov V.V. Russkii yazyk: Grammaticheskoe uchenie o slove [The Russian Language (A Grammatical Theory of the Word)]. Мoscow, Gos. Ucheb.-Ped. Izd., 1972, pp. 233–254. (In Russian)
6. Guan Ya. A research on the structure of modern Chinese cardinal numerals. Journal of Tonghua Normal University, 2012, vol. 33, no. 5. pp. 1–10. (In Chinese)
7. Bogdanov S.I. Numerals. In: Bogdanov S.I., Voeikova M.D. et al. Morfologiya sovremennogo russkogo yazyka [Morphology of the Modern Russian Language]. St. Petersburg, Fak. Filol. Iskusstv S.-Peterb. Univ., 2009. pp. 301–322. (In Russian)
8. Liu P. A description of numerals classification research. Journal of Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, 2013, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 122–127. (In Chinese)
9. Zhu D. Numerals and their structure. Chinese Philology, 1958, vol. 7, no. 4. pp. 185–187. (In Chinese)
10. Xiao G., Li Y. Chinese exact numerals system: Structure, peculiarities of use and evolution. Journal of Wuhan Institute of Education. Philosophy and Social Sciences Series, 1997, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 34–44. (In Chinese)
11. Zhou C. Research on Modern Chinese Numerals. Harbin, Heilongjiang Univ., 2002. 146 p. (In Chinese)
12. Guo P. A Research on Problems Related to Chinese Numerals. Beijing, Zhonghua Book Co., 2004. 277 p. (In Chinese)
13. Gorelov V.I. Teoreticheskaya grammatika kitaiskogo yazyka [Theoretical Chinese Grammar]. Moscow, Prosveshchenie, 1989. 318 p. (In Russian)
14. Fu H. (Ed.) Practical Chinese Grammar Teaching Materials. Beijing, Beijing Normal Univ. Press, 2015. 371 p. (In Chinese)
15. Liu Y. Practical Modern Chinese Grammar. Beijing, Commer. Press, 2001. 1005 p. (In Chinese)
16. Subbotin A.L. Classification. In: Tsentr gumanitarnykh tehnologii [Humanitarian Technology Center]. Moscow, IF Ross. Akad. Nauk, 2001. Available at: https://gtmarket.ru/laboratory/basis/3794. (In Russian)
17. Ponkin I.V., Red’kina A.I. Classification as a method of scientific research, particularly in jurisprudence. Vestnik Permskogo Universiteta. Yuridicheskie Nauki, 2017, no. 37, pp. 249–259. doi: 10.17072/1995-4190-2017-37-249-259. (In Russian)
18. Zhang B. (Ed.) Descriptive Grammar of Modern Chinese. Beijing, Commer. Press, 2010. 1306 p. (In Chinese)
19. Li Yu. A first glance at the language of mathematics. Language and Literature Teaching and Studying, 1986, vol. 17, no. 7, pp. 2–15. (In Chinese)
20. Sichinava D.V. Numerals. In: Materialy k korpusnoi grammatike russkogo yazyka [Materials for the Corpus Grammar of the Russian Language]. St. Petersburg, Nestor-Istoriya, 2018, no. 3: Parts of speech and lexico-grammatical classes, pp. 193–257. (In Russian)
21. Zhu D. Lectures on Grammar. Beijing, Commer. Press, 1982. 231 p. (In Chinese)
22. Zhao S. A Collection of Articles on Comparative Grammar of the Chinese and English Languages. Shanghai, SFLEP, 1999. 349 p. (In Chinese)
23. Comrie B. Numeral bases. In: Haspelmath M., Dryer M.S., Gill D., Comrie B. (Eds.) The World Atlas of Language Structures Online. Munich, Max Planck Digital Libr. 2011. Available at: http://wals.info/feature/131.
24. He C. Complex numerals in Mandarin Chinese are constituents. Lingua, 2015, vol. 164, pt. A, pp. 189–214. doi: 10.1016/j.lingua.2015.06.014.
25. Xing F. Three Hundred Problems of Chinese Grammar. Beijing, Commer. Press, 2002. 264 p. (In Chinese)
26. Solntsev V.M., Solntseva N.V. Teoreticheskaya grammatika sovremennogo kitaiskogo yazyka (Problemy morfologii) [Theoretical Grammar of Modern Chinese (Problems of Morphology)]. Moscow, Inst. Vostokoved. Ross. Akad. Nauk, Voen. Univ. Minoborony RF, 2016. 164 p. (In Russian)
27. One-Soon Her. Deriving classifier word order typology, or Greenberg’s Universal 20A and Universal 20. Linguistics, 2017, vol. 55, no. 2, pp. 1–31. doi: 10.1515/ling-2016-0044.
28. Corver N., Zwarts J. Prepositional numerals. Lingua, 2006, vol. 116, no. 6, pp. 811–835. doi: 10.1016/j.lingua.2005.03.008.
29. Hurford J. The Linguistic Theory of Numerals. Cambridge, Cambridge Univ. Press, 2011. 308 p. (Cambridge Studies in Linguistics. Vol. 16)
30. Ionin T., Matushansky O. The composition of complex cardinals. Journal of Semantics, 2006, vol. 23, no. 4, pp. 315–360. doi: 10.1093/jos/ffl006.

The content is available under the license Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.