Article published In: A typology of the mass/count distinction in Brazil and its relevance for mass/count theories
Edited by Suzi Oliveira de Lima and Susan Rothstein
[Linguistic Variation 20:2] 2020
► pp. 324–335
Count and mass nouns in Patxohã
Published online: 1 October 2020
https://doi.org/10.1075/lv.00024.bom
https://doi.org/10.1075/lv.00024.bom
Abstract
This paper describes the count/mass distinction in Patxohã, a revitalized language spoken in Bahia and Minas
Gerais, Brazil. We observe that only count nouns can be directly combined with numerals and that only count nouns can co-occur
with plural determiners. Furthermore, only count nouns can be combined with size adjectives. As for quantifiers, we observe that
at least one quantifier in the language (nitxi) can be combined with count and mass nouns, but trigger different
interpretations depending on the noun it is combined with. We also discuss the use of container phrases in counting and measuring
contexts.
Keywords: Patxohã, count, mass, numerals, quantifiers, adjectives, plural, determiners
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Numerals
- 3.Plural
- 4.Quantifiers and adjectives
- 5.Counting and measuring
- 6.Discussion
- Acknowledgements
- Notes
References
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