Abstract
Categorization plays an important role in human cognition and language. Mandarin is a language whose noun phrases need to be accompanied by classifiers on the basis of their specific characteristics. In this study we used rating test and reaction time test to investigate the reality the speakers attach to the use of shape classifiers in Mandarin. The classifiers under investigation included the one dimensional classifiers (gen, zhi, and tiao), the two dimensional classifiers (zhang, mian and pian) and the three dimensional classifiers (ke and li). By comparing the real usage with the idealized norm in the literature, we can get a conclusion that we can see that the boundary among the classifiers in each dimensional classifier is not as clear as it was in the past.The one dimensional classifiers are primarily to classify long shaped objects which are either flexible or rigid. Tiao can also denote two dimensional objects which must be thin and flexible. Zhi is salient for the feature ‘rigidity’, tiao is salient for the feature ‘flexibility’, and gen is in between. This is different from the idealized norm in the literature, in which gen is considered to be used only for attached or rooted objects to tell from zhi, while zhi is considered to be used only for rigid objects to tell from tiao, and tiao is considered to be only for flexible objects.The two dimensional classifiers are primarily to classify flat and thin objects which are either flexible or rigid. Zhang is more salient than mian and pian in the feature ‘flexibility’. Mian is more salient than pian in the feature ‘rigidity’. However, in the idealized norm, zhang is used only for flexible objects and pian is used only for small objects. Mian carries the semantic feature ‘thick or thin’ in the idealized norm, which is different from our finding where mian is salient for the functional property of ‘thin’.The three dimensional classifiers are primarily to denote round objects which are either big or small, but in the idealized norm, ke is for small objects and li is only for very small objects.