The Asymmetric Occurences of Dou1 and Shao3 in the [Numeral + Measure Word/Classifier + Noun] Construction: A Corpus-based Analysis

Abstract

As two words with opposite meanings, dou1 and shao3 are expected to be similar and different in various environments. In this work, we looked into the construction of [numeral + measure word/classifier + noun] (hereafter [Num + MW/CL + N]) and explored in what ways both words present an asymmetric phenomenon. We found that dou1 carries a numeral meaning while shao3 lacks this use. Based on the analysis of these two words in the Sinica Corpus, this paper argued that dou1 is better categorized as ‘Neu’ and suggested that dou1 in [Num + MW/CL + N] serves two functions: one is for counting numbers; the other is for the expression of quantities. These findings can be related to the use of dou1 as complement and as numeral.

反義詞組「多」和「少」在許多語法環境，尤以「數詞+量詞/分類詞+名詞(以下簡稱「數量名」)」構式中所呈現的不對稱現象最為明顯；僅採用「標記理論」無法有效解釋兩者的使用差異。本文假設現代漢語「多」具有「數詞」用法，相反地，「少」則無此用法，本文並使用「中研院現代漢語平衡語料庫」為工具，檢視「多」於「數量名」結構中，適合歸類於何種句法位置。本文將「多」歸為「數詞定詞(Neu)」，並認為處於數詞位置的「多」具有「計數」和「表量」兩種功能，且經歷和「很多」、「許多」不同的發展路徑：首先由「數詞」發展出表「約量」和「鄰近增量」的「數量定詞」功能，最後發展出作為動詞和形容詞「補語」的功能。