Plurality in a Classifier Language

Abstract

This work argues that -men in Mandarin Chinese is best analyzed as a plural morpheme realized on an element in Determiner, in contrast to a regular plural on an element in N, such as the English -s. A nominal with a classifier has a Classifier projection: [D [Num [Cl [N]]]]. The plural feature in Number can only be realized in D because of the Head Movement Constraint. Without an intervening Classifier, it can be realized in N. This analysis captures the fact that the -men type plural morpheme is generally found in classifier languages and the English type plural morpheme in non-classifier languages. The plural analysis of -men also captures many generalizations missing from the traditional "collective" analysis, such as (i) -men can occur with a proper name/pronoun/definite common noun but not a definite expression of the form [Demonstrative + Classifier + N], (ii) a quantity expression [Number + Classifier] can follow a pronoun/proper name with -men but not a common noun with -men, and (iii) a quantify expression cannot precede a nominal with -men.