What is a quantifier?

A quantifier is a determiner that expresses a referent's definite or indefinite number or amount.

A quantifier functions as a

• modifier of a noun, or
• pronoun.

• all

  All are welcome

  All these people

• five
• many
• some

• What is a numeral?

• What is a determiner?

Crystal 1980 293

Hartmann and Stork 1972 190

Lyons 1977b 454–455

Mish 1991 963

Context for this page:

• Concept module: quantifier
• In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): Q
• In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
• In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004

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