A Linguistic Analysis of Classifiers in the Tai Lue Language of Chiang Kham District, Prayao Province

Every common noun in Tai Lue has a classifier attached to it in the lexicon. In most situations in which a referent is realized there must be expression of the classifier as well as the common noun. The Nominal Group in Tai Lue is composed of two coreferential Noun Phrases, one built around the common noun, the other built around a classifier noun. Semantic information is distributed between these two Noun Phrases. The classifier attracts information such as Number, Specification, and Events, while the common noun attracts information such as Material Composition, Ownership, and Attributes. The classifier plays a role in referent identification in Tai Lue discourse. The classifier often appears alone in situations associated with Old Information.