Re: Chinese-style measure words in English?

From: Peter T. Daniels (grammatim_at_worldnet.att.net)
Date: 12/28/04 

Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2004 19:53:37 GMT

semiretired@my-deja.com wrote:
>
> Spehro Pefhany wrote:
> >>>>>semiretired (OP)
>
> >What's the purpose of Chinese measure words?
>
> >From "Teach Yourself Chinese" by Elisabeth Scurfield
> __________________________________________________________________
> "In chinese something called a measure word has to be used
> between a number and its noun. For example ...
> ... zhang1 is used for rectangular flat objects such as tables,
> beds and maps but is not a true measure as to length, or anything
> else.
> Some measure words ... ...are actual indicators of quantity..."
> ____________________________________________________________________
>
> Some literal translations of measure words
>
> one (volume) book
> one (copy) newspaper
> one (envelope) letter
> one (mouth) family member
>
> In english these are redundant as they give no addtional information
> but chinese has to have them.
>
> I am trying to see if anybody has met such items in english
> The nearest genuine example is "head" of cattle as the word
> conveys no more information than just saying cattle
>
> Has anybody heard any other examples?
>
> For actual measures we would indeed say
> one glass of wine
> because this is different from
> one bottle of wine

And the reason you don't accept "slice of bread" and "piece of cake" is? 

-- 
Peter T. Daniels                       grammatim@att.net

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