Hmong (L1): Classifiers

In English, a noun phrase includes an article (e.g., a, an, or the) and a noun (e.g., a book). In Hmong, a noun phrase includes a quantifier, a classifier, and a noun (e.g., ib tug aub [one {CLASSIFIER} dog].

 

Classifiers are “overt morphemes that constitute morphosyntactic systems which are semantically motivationed and subject to discourse-pragmatic conditions of use” (Grinevald, 2001, p. 1973). A classifier is usually associated with the noun in the noun phrase in terms of its shape, function, animacy, consistency or size.

 

There are more than 50 classifiers in Hmong (cf. Bisang, 1993; Heimback, 1980). Here are some examples of Hmong classifiers:

 

Classifier	Associated with ..	Example	Translation
lub	large round objects	ib lub tsev	a house
tus/tug	long thin objects, people, animals	ib tug cwj mem	a pencil
rab	tools, utensils	ib rab riam	a knife
cev/ce	suit	ib ce khaub ncaws	a suit of clothing
daim	flat thin objects	ib daim ntawv	a piece of paper
lo	a word	ib lo lus	a word
leej	for people	ib leej txiv	a father
nkawm	for pairs	ib nkawm niam txiv	a married couple
phau	for books, packets	ib phau ntawv	a book/ a collection of paper
pluag/s	for meals	ib pluag mov	a meal
tsab	for letters	ib tsab ntawv	a letter
tsob	for trees/plants/bushes	ib tsob ntoo	a tree