TITLE:
The Encoding of Classifiers in Mandarin Chinese
AUTHORS:
Tianyun Gao
KEYWORDS:
Classifiers, Mandarin Chinese, DP Hypothesis, “Men”
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.12 No.7,
July
25,
2025
ABSTRACT: This paper focuses on the role of classifiers in numeral phrases. Based on a generative syntactic framework, the study examines the functional projections involved in nominal structure. It classifies Mandarin classifiers into count-classifiers and massifiers, analyzing their distribution and interpretive roles. Through comparison of different structural analyses, including left-branching NP, classifier projections, number projections, and the DP hypothesis, the paper argues that classifiers are essential grammatical elements that enable nouns to combine with numerals. The study also examines the plural marker “-men,” concluding that it signals collectivity rather than grammatical plurality. Overall, the findings suggest that classifiers in Mandarin serve both syntactic and semantic functions in the derivation of referential noun phrases.