The tone patterns of numeral-plus-classifier phrases in Yongning Na: a synchronic description and analysis

Alexis Michaud (1)

1 Speech Communication

In Yongning Na, there exists a bewildering diversity of tone patterns on numeral-plus-classifier phrases. A systematic investigation brings out no less than nine sets of classifiers on the basis of their tonal behaviour in association with numerals. These phenomena are analyzed here as part of the irregular tonal morphology found in Yongning Na. The present work represents a contribution towards a complete description of the rich tonal morphology of this language.

Mots clés: tone; numerals; classifiers; morpho-tonology; Yongning Na; Mosuo; Naish languages

Domaines: Linguistique

Alexis Michaud. The tone patterns of numeral-plus-classifier phrases in Yongning Na: a synchronic description and analysis. Nathan Hill & Tom Owen-Smith. Transhimalayan Linguistics. Historical and Descriptive Linguistics of the Himalayan Area, De Gruyter Mouton, pp.275-311, 2013, Trends in Linguistics. Studies and Monographs [TiLSM] 266, 978-3-11-031083-2. ⟨halshs-00821180v2⟩