Buyi Language Noun Classifiers A Comparative Study

Buyi language and Chinese are two languages rich in nominal classifiers in Sino-Tibetan language family. Due to the influence of Chinese grammar theory, people generally tend to understand the Buyi language classifiers from the perspective of Chinese, claiming that no difference exists between the Buyi language and Chinese in terms of the classification, the nature of the nominal classifier, and the grammatical function. In fact, Buyi Classifiers demonstrates, in all aspects, the different characteristics from Chinese. This paper, therefore,based on cognitive linguistics theory, structuralism theory and grammaticalization theory, makes a comparative study of Buyi language and Chinese nominal classifiers from different angles, analyzes the semantic foundation of the production of nominal classifiers, describes their different grammatical functions and grammar characteristics, and reveals their development and evolutionary process and explains the differences of the nominal classifiers in the two languages.Until now, few scholars have done the work of comparative study of the Buyi language and Chinese nominal classifiers, and what they did was mostly from the perspective of traditional grammar, focusing on the similarities and dissimilarities between the two, and the result was more similarities than dissimilarities, which is not a true reflection of the characteristics of Buyi classifiers. This paper hence tries to reveal from a new perspective the nominal classifier characteristics of Buyi language and Chinese to highlight the differences between the two, and strive to achieve a breakthrough over previous studies. This paper uses firsthand materials of nominal classifier of Buyi language and compares them with Chinese nominal classifiers, to achieve the following four goals:First, tentatively apply new linguistic theories and methods to the grammar study of the Buyi language and Chinese, especially the grammar of the former; second, to reveal the semantic basis of nominal classifiers of the two languages to deepen the understanding of the characteristics of the two; redefine the traditional classification of nominal classifiers of Buyi and Chinese language;give a diachronic description of the origin and development of nominal classifiers in the Buyi language and Chinese, and make a rational account of the source of Buyi classifiers.The paper is divided into five chapters, excluding the introduction and conclusion. Specific contents are as follows:The first chapter is an overview of nominal classifiers of Buyi language and Chinese, mainly focusing on the general study of Buyi language and Chinese nominal classifiers and the distribution in daily life of nominal classifiers of Buyi language.The second chapter is a contrastive study of the semantic foundation of nominal classifier between Buyi language and Chinese. This chapter describes and analyzes object category of Buyi and Chinese language, the basic level categories, the principle and means of the category, the "quantity" of objects, finding that cognitive differences rise from different geographical location of the two languages which is the semantic basis of different function of nominal classifiers in both languages. Finally, this paper uses prototype theory to analyze and contrast the different characteristics of the two types of linguistic classifiers in varied prototype, central and peripheral members, revealing that the attribute of nominal classifiers is the foundation which decides the status of nominal classifier category member.The third chapter is a classification and comparison of nominal classifiers of the Buyi language and Chinese. Over the years, the Buyi classifiers classification is subject to the criteria of classification of Chinese nominal classifiers. This is not only unrealistic, but also has blurring the boundaries of classifiers of the two languages. According to Buyi classifiers nature of classification, this paper divided Buyi language classifiers into two categories:animating classifiers and inanimating classifiers. According to Chinese nominal classifiers "shape" attribute, nominal classifiers are divided into three types—"same shape,""similar shape" and "fuzzy shape."The fourth chapter is a contrast of grammatical function of Buyi language and Chinese nominal classifier. Lexically, the nominal classifier function and emotional function of the Buyi language are quite conspicuous, while Chinese nominal classifiers play a more prominent role in distinguishing lexical meaning and homophones; syntactically, Buyi Classifiers can combine with the numerals, demonstrative pronouns, adjectives, prepositions and verbs, while Chinese classifiers can only combine with the numeral and the demonstrative pronoun. Furthermore, Buyi Classifiers are more capable to act as syntactic component than Chinese measure words.The fifth chapter is a grammatical contrast of nominal classifier. Through analyzing and contrasting the nominal classifier grammatical motives, grammatical mechanism and path, and other aspects, this paper argues that Chinese nominal classifiers became mature in the late Medieval period and established the expression structure of "number of+classifier+noun". This affected and led to the birth of nominal classifier of Buyi language whose growth process includes three aspects, part of the name quantifier was directly loaned from the Chinese; second, noun prefix of Buyi language became nominal classifiers through re-analysis; third, nouns and verbs of Buyi language were by analogy converted to nominal classifiers. In addition to the above differences, semantic evolvement of nominal classifier of Buyi language and Chinese also shows different inclinations.The introduction part mainly accounts for the motive and purpose of this study, with a detailed explanation of the research methods, theoretical foundation as well as the study materials and scope. The conclusion section summarizes the main points of the whole dissertation, points out the inadequacies that exist in the research process, and put forwards the prospect of future research.