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ORCID

https://orcid.org/0009-0002-0245-2257

Access Type

Open Access Thesis

Document Type

thesis

Degree Program

Chinese

Degree Type

Master of Arts (M.A.)

Year Degree Awarded

2023

Month Degree Awarded

September

Abstract

Many Chinese classifiers are nearly synonymic – they can be used with the same head nouns without changing the meaning of the sentence, in other words, such classifiers can be used interchangeably or almost interchangeably. This poses a challenge for Chinese language learners, especially those who lack such a grammatical category in their own native language. Another complication arises from the ambiguous English translations of many classifiers.

In this paper we investigate the collocation behavior of near-synonymous Chinese classifiers, focusing on their semantic nuances and interchangeability. Analyzing 6 pairs of classifiers — 栋 and 幢, 匹 and 头, 批 and 派, 颗 and 粒, 辆 and 台, and 根 and 支— drawn from the HSK exam glossary, the dataset for this study encompasses 1200 samples (100 per each variable) and 416 distinct head nouns.

Through a corpus-based approach we analyze collocation behavior of each classifier on its own and as a part of the pair. The results showcase that not all pairs exhibit complete interchangeability. The collocation behavior of 批 and 派 differ significantly, where 批 primarily quantifies batches with a 'first' connotation, while 派 is used more in artistic expressions. The interchangeability of 栋 and 幢 varies with context. 幢 emerges as the least fre¬¬quent morpheme in the corpus, emphasizing its specific contextual usage. While both are used in address lines, 栋 predominantly quantifies standalone buildings, whereas 幢 is more aligned with larger architectural complexes. The analysis of 匹 and 头 highlights their distinctiveness, with 匹 counting horses and wolves and 头 being more versatile with various animals. 颗 and 粒 appear partially interchangeable, particularly with 珠-related head nouns and items associated with plants, fruits, and trees. The research also underscores that 辆 is primarily linked to car-related nouns, while 台 is used more versatile as a classifier for machines and electronic devices, including computers, printers, phones, cameras. 根 and 支 only overlap in the head noun 笔, and their roles diverge, with 根 being a versatile classifier and 支 also appearing as part of medical terms.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7275/35991041.0

First Advisor

Zhijun Wang

Second Advisor

Yuki Yoshimura

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