Contrastive study of English and Chinese Measure words

Chiu Man HinKwan Yin Lai, SherleenLeung Chau Pui, Allison

What is “measure words”?

“A measure is a bound morpheme which forms a D-M compound with one of the determinatives” (Y.R. Chao).

There is no such part of speech as “measure words” in English.Similar to quantifying / measuring nouns

Interview with Mr. J. Guest

His observations on “measure words”: Easiest:

Extensive use of “ 個” (ge)Measures involving containers or standard mea

surement

Peculiar: “ 隻” (zhi)Usually for animals, but “ 一隻錶” , “ 一隻窗”

Confusing:這塊給你。句句話都說對了。

Hardest: Measures associated with different individual

nounse.g. 一張枱 , 一枝筆 , 一塊麵包 , * 一張麵包

There are no general rules to followe.g. 一年 , 一個月 , 一 ( 個 ) 星期

The interview (cont’d)

nominalization and doubling

Our aim

To justify the difficulties of rendering the measure words

by appreciating the major differences and some similarities of such

in both language systems

Our focus

5 most common groups:Classifiers and

classifiers associated with V-OGroup measures and partitive measuresStandard measures

The classification

Y. R. Chao’s classification: 9 groups:

(2) Classifiers (V-O)

(3) Group measures (4) Partitive measures

(5) Container measures (6) Temporary measures

(7) Standard measures (8) Quasi-measures

(9) Measures for verbs

(1) Classifiers

Classifiers

2 groups:Classifiers or individual measures (Mc)Classifiers associated with V-O (Mc’)

Chinese:e.g. 一個人 , 說 ( 一 ) 句話

but not * 一人 , * 說一話 (Chao)

Each noun has its own specific classifier Indicating shape, kind, or other properties(Verb) + Determiner + Mc + Noun

Classifiers

English: e.g. a man, speak a word,

but not: *an individual of a man, *speak a sentence of words(some exception, e.g. a head of cow)

Normally: Determiner + NounNo classifiers!

Poses difficulties for English learners of Chinese

More about Chinese classifiers Some nouns have 2 or more specific class

ifiers according to different meaningse.g. 一道門 , 一扇門

e.g. a doorway, a door (physical object) Nominalization

e.g. 這個是你的 , 那本是好書 , * 一本是好書e.g. This is yours, That is a good book

Demonstrative + Mc Doubling

e.g. 天天如是 , 一幕幕悲劇

General classifier: 個 (ge) (Chao)

Applicable to most individual nounse.g. 一個人 , 一個雞蛋 , 那個手袋 , ? 這個書 ,

? 一個鞋 Ease foreign learners’ difficulties

Risk over-extensive usage

一群群雀鳥一組組學生

一隊隊士兵

一幫幫人

一套套衣服

一批批成衣

一路路軍隊一系列系列新裝

Chao (1968): A group measure is used for a group or collection of individuals

一組組學生 A group of students

兩組組學生 Two groups of students

Biber (1999): quantifying collectives select certain collocates which are just confined to a range of entities making up the group.

一組組學生 A group of students

兩組組學生 Two groups of students

“Group Measure” phrase in English (Wang, 2001) : a / number + n1 + of + n2

where n1 has to be countable andn2 can either be countable or uncountable

“Group Measure” in Chinese (Chao, 1968) : Det + Mg + N

where Mg denotes Group measure words

一組組學生 A group of students

兩組組學生 Two groups of students

組組

組組

組組

group

groups

group

Always in one-to-one relationship??

Significant differences between the two systems: (Wang, 2001)

1. English “group measure words” are

• more specific

• exclusive and selective for particular nouns in a certain domain ( 專用性強 )

For example … …

N O!

一群

工人

雀鳥

才子

魚

蜜蜂

歡迎者

An army of workmen

A flock of birds

A galaxy of talents

A school of fish

A swarm of bees

A troop of welcomers

一群

army

flock

galaxy

school

swarm

troop

“ 群” can be applied to all animals in Chinesebut …

expressed in numerous ways for English!!

Significant differences between the two systems: (Wang, 2001)

2. English “group measure words”

• possess visualization effect• are represented with cultural imagination

For example … …

一群

工人

雀鳥

魚

蜜蜂

歡迎者

An army of workmen

A flock of birds

A school of fish

A swarm of bees

A galaxy of talents

A galaxy of talents才子

A galaxygalaxy of talents

Galaxy luminous tract with numerous stars

An assembly of brilliant, glamorous, or distinguished persons

who are also like blinking stars

extended to …Visualization effect

Visualization effect

“Group measure” for insects

A hive of

A cloud of

An army of

“Group measure” for birds

A bevy of

A case of

An host of

“Group measure” for wild animals

A tribe of

A kennel of

A collection of

A herd of

Subject to the cultural

understanding and imagination

associated with the “group” -

a matter of convention!

However, …

一副眼鏡

一條褲子

一對手套

English more imaginative for animal groups (group property) but not for static object, which has to be descriptive and logical enough. (e.g. pair – purely mathematical)

A pair of

glasses

trousers

gloves

Violates the specific property of English “group measure words”?

Again, cultural/language convention!

What do these differences matter?

Chinese English-learners may find many difficulties in rendering their group measure words into English.

In Chinese, group measure words can only illustrate the identity as a group in a direct way.

Chinese speakers may not be able to understand the cultural imagination of the “group measure words”. (as in the case of idioms)

English ones: too specific!

一堆堆沙一片片麵包

一些些事情

一客客點心

一套套衣服

一塊塊石頭

一篇篇散文一層層雲

Chao (1968): A partitive measure represents portion of a thing instead of a group of it. However, it is just a matter of point of view since the same group of individuals may also be part of a larger class.

一塊木頭

一支樂曲

一篇散文

一番好意

一片麵包

一則勸告

A piece of

wood

music

prose

kindness

bread

advice

一塊

一支

一篇

一番

一片

一則

A piece of

“a piece of” is productive in English andcan be expressed in numerous ways

for Chinese words!!

In English, “a piece of” is associated with partitive meaning and commonly used for making uncountable nouns “countable”.

e.g. a piece of bread Vs two pieces of bread

No direct equivalent class in English! But…

A significant difference between the two systems: (Wang, 2001)

Contrary to “group measure words”,

the English so-called “partitive measure words” are

• less specific• extensively applied to different domains

For example … …

So…

English Chinese-learners find many difficulties in partitive measure.

e.g. Our interviewee - Mr John Guest

Why is “a piece of bread” translated to “ 一片麵包” ? Why not “* 一張麵包” ?

Why is “a piece of information” translated to “ 一則資料” ? Why not “* 一片資料” ?

Specific property goes to partitives in Chinese this time!

(with very limited number of collocates)

An interesting COMMON property to both systems:

some partitive measure words in Chinese do not admit numeral determinatives greater than one. In English, n1 cannot be plural.

一番好意 a piece of kindness* 兩番好意 *two pieces of kindness

一些學生 a number of students* 兩些學生 *two numbers of students

Standard measure

Definition:

Measures proper (by Chao)

Measure partitive nouns (by Quirk)

Relate to precise and standard quantitiesRelate to precise and standard quantities

Classification Chinese (English) 1. Length 米 (meter) 、寸 (inch)

2. volume 升 (liter) 、立方米 (cubic meter)

3. Weight 公斤 (kilogram) 、噸 (tonne)

4. Area 平方米 (square meter) 、 公頃 (hectare)

Comparison:similarities1.Structure

一公升水　　　　 a liter of water

兩碼布　　　　　 two yards of cloth

Chin Eng

structure: num+Mm+n num+Mm+of+n

n2: neither [C] nor [U] usually [U]

“of”: Nil obligatory

(a) 五里　　　 five miles

(b) 五里路　　 five miles of road

(a) 十磅 ten pounds

(b) 十磅肉 ten pounds of meat

(a) Functioning as a noun without a classifier

(b) Functioning as a classifier with another noun

2.Serving as different grammatical functions

3. Modifying adjective

(1) 三尺長　　　　 three-feet long

(2) 五米高　　　　 five-meter tall

(3) 六寸寬　　　 six-inch wide 　

(a) 塊布三尺長。 (adjective)

(b) A three-feet long cloth. (modifier)

Differences

1. Different measure scales in Chinese and English

Chin. Eng.

(1) 　畝 1/6 acre

(2) 里　　　　　　 1/3 miles

((33) ) 丈　　　　　　 丈　　　　　　 10 feet10 feet

2. Some Chinese standard measures are transliterated from English's

Chin. Eng.

(1) (1) 噸　　　　　　 噸　　　　　　 tontonnene

(2) 加侖　　　　　 gallon

3. Some Chinese standard measures not only functioning as precise units but also functioning as modifiers

升 (a standard measurestandard measure of rice)斗 (a standard measurestandard measure of soybeans)

我們只是升斗升斗市民。 (modifiermodifier of 市民 )

English:升 (pintpint) 、斗 (peckpeck) → standard measurstandard measur

ee

4. Chinese standard measures will be varied as othe types of measure words according to different situations

Mandarin 三塊塊 (standard measurestandard measure associated with mone

y) 　 一塊塊麵包 (partitive measurepartitive measure as a numerative to

modify a noun ) 　

English 　　dollardollar (standard measurestandard measure) ≠ ≠

a piece ofa piece of (partitive measurepartitive measure)

General observation

1. The same morpheme sometimes serves as different kinds of measures (Chao), e.g.

• 一口口飯 (a partitive measure) • 一口鐘 (a classifier)

The measure word can either be classifier or partitive measure.

2. Chinese and English have their own language systems and cultural convention Rhetoric effect

Chin:

(1) 一線希望(2) 一臉無奈

Eng:

(1) A galaxy of talents

(2) An army of workmen

4.Modern use: Omission of measure words Precise

English: Omission of measure word

(1) A can of coke → a coke

(2) A jar of beer → a beer Container measure is omitted.

Chinese:

一個光年→一光年 A classifier is omitted.

We have to get a better use of measure words in both Chinese and English

Always refer to some useful measure word tools.

Understand the general pattern /rules of measure words in Chinese and English.

Read more, write more, use more.

After all…

References:

Biber, D. 1999. Longman grammar of spoken and written English. Harlow, Essex : Longman.

Chao, Y. R. 1968. A grammar of spoken Chinese. Berkeley : University of California Press.

Li and Thompson. 1989. Mandarin Chinese: A functional reference grammar. Berkeley : University of California press.

Matthews, S. 1994. Cantonese: a comprehensive grammar. London : Routledge.

王曉玲。《漢英量詞之比較》；南京航空航天大學學報 ( 社會科學版 ) ： 2001 年第三卷第 1 期。

李宇明。 2000 。漢語量範疇研究。武漢：華中師範大學出版社。

何杰。 2001 。現代漢語量詞研究。北京：民族出版社。

趙傳河。《漢語量詞在英語中的表達》；外語學刊（黑龍江大學學報）： 1992 年第 1 期。

趙獻東。《漢英量詞的比較與翻譯》；許昌師專學報：1997 年第 1 期。

Special Acknowledgement to Mr John Guest (HKU)