Deciphering the Syntax-Semantics Interface of Nominal Classifier Phrases in Mandarin Chinese

This dissertation examines how quantity is encoded in Mandarin Chinese through the lens of numeral classifier phrases-structures that combine numbers, classifiers, and nouns. Challenging the traditional view that classifiers are purely grammatical tools, this study shows that many classifiers carry lexical meaning and interact closely with the nouns they accompany. By analysing noun-classifier pairs, I identify four distinct interpretative patterns based on how meaning is distributed between the noun and classifier. These patterns are systematically derived from syntactic structure, particularly from the projection of a categorising domain that unifies roots and determines how content meaning is formed. In addition, the dissertation investigates the semantics of cardinal numbers, distinguishing between simplex numerals—which can express both degree and quantity—and complex numerals, which serve exclusively quantificational roles. This distinction accounts for the compatibility of simplex numerals with degree modifiers and sheds light on broader quantificational strategies in Mandarin, including the use of paucal operators such as ji (‘a few’) and xie (‘some’). Together, these findings offer a comprehensive account of how both absolute and vague quantity are structurally and semantically encoded in Mandarin Chinese.