Distributive Quantifier mei in Mandarin Chinese

摘要

This paper aims to understand the function of the distributive quantifier mei in the [mei-Numeral-NP V Numeral-NP] construction. Mei is viewed as a marker of plurality over plural entities, seen as a set denoted by Numeral-NP, and marks the sorting key for a distributive dependency in the sense of Choe (1987). Without mei, the structure [Numeral-NP V Numeral-NP] can induce either a distributive dependency or a proportional relation between the two numeral NPs. We account for the implausibility of the sequence [*mei-yi-NP]. Mei involves the notion of unit, which is distinct from the notion of singular number expressed by the numeral yi 'one'.