從台灣閩南語的「一下」到其他動量詞的研究

In counting external events, both Taiwanese Southern Min (TSM) and Mandarin Chinese (MC) employ a sequence involving a numeral and an event-external verbal classifier (a Num+CLv sequence). If Zhang (2017) is correct, such a sequence can occur in a post-verbal position or a pre-verbal position in MC. Its counterpart, however, occurs in a postverbal position in Taiwanese Southern Min (TSM), but does not seem to be readily acceptable in a preverbal position in TSM. By examining Zhang’s data and analysis in MC, I show her analysis of the structures for the pre-verbal and post-object position of such a sequence cannot be held and it turns out that the preverbal position in MC is also restricted. As a result, I maintain that when counting external events, a Num+CLv sequence in a preverbal position in both TSM and MC has to be licensed, either by focus or quantification, as suggested in the previous literature