量詞源於乘法說

Multiplication Basis of Emergence of Classifiers

本文從數學裡的乘法運算入手，探討量詞如何在語言裡形成。當中的問題有三：一、Kayne (2005) 所提議的名詞後綴在乘法結構中扮演什麼角色？二、名詞後綴如何跟量詞的形成扯上關係？三、量詞如何在乘法中演進為負責分組、切割的語法範疇 (Landman 2004, Borer 2005)？我們提議數字「一」在數學同語言的界面之間把名詞後綴推導出來，繼而產生量詞及其特徵。最後本建議還跟數字的集合理論作一比較，看看量詞能否把數字的某些特徵也顯映出來。

This paper aims to develop a multiplication-based inquiry into the emergence of classifiers by answering three questions. What is the role of the nominal suffix (Kayne 2005) in the multiplicative representation of the whole number? How is the nominal suffix linked to the emergence of classifiers? How do classifiers emerge as parcelers and dividers via multiplication (Landman 2004, Borer 2005)? With the assumption that the coding of the multiplicative operation in language is necessary, it is suggested the multiplicative identity, one, in multiplication plays a major role in deriving the nominal suffix and hence the features of classifiers. Finally, this proposal is used to highlight the design of the number faculty by examining the set-theoretic definition of natural numbers.