A Linguistic Survey Of Numerical And Quantitative Expressions In Shanghai Sign Language

Numeral and Quantity is an important cognitive category for humans in their recognition and description of the world around them and an important area for linguistic research. This thesis systematically describes and arranges linguistic rules and phenomena with regard to numeral and quantity in Shanghai Sign Language through the analysis of original research materials such as word lists, pictures and videos.This thesis divides the numeral category in Shanghai Sign Language into two subcategories, numeral and numerosity. The category of quantity in Shanghai Sign Language is described and analyzed from five aspects: substantial quantity, spatial quantity, temporal quantity, movement quantity and gradational quantity. An explanation of quantity in Shanghai Sign Language and the morphology and a summary of the characteristics and functions manifested with regard to the numeral category is provided. A comparative study of numeral and quantity in Mandarin is also conducted.On the basis of the expression of substantial quantity and gradational quantity in Shanghai Sign Language, this thesis devotes a chapter to the discussion of classifiers. We describe features and functions of classifier use in Shanghai Sign Language with regard to quantity, and list three new classifier handshapes based on the 24 original classifier handshapes. An explanation and analysis of classifier predicate and movement is conducted and from these results conclusions as to the character and function of classifiers related to quantity.