Abstract
Some languages have both gender and classifiers, contrary to what was once believed possible. We use these interesting languages as a unique window onto nominal classification. They provide the impetus for a new typology, based on the degree of orthogonality of the semantic systems and the degree of difference of the forms realizing them. This nine-way typology integrates traditional gender, traditional classifiers and – importantly – the many recently attested phenomena lying between. Besides progress specifically in understanding nominal classification, our approach provides clarity on the wider theoretical issue of single versus concurrent featural systems.
Keywords
canonical typology, classifiers, concurrent systems, gender
How to Cite
Fedden, S. & Corbett, G., (2017) “Gender and classifiers in concurrent systems: Refining the typology of nominal classification”, Glossa: a journal of general linguistics 2(1): 34. doi: https://doi.org/10.5334/gjgl.177
1995
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