de León 1988 Noun and numeral classifiers in Mixtec and Tzotzil PhD.pdf

The present study explores , from a referential perspective, two typologically different systems of classifier systems in two genetically un-related languages: Mixtec and Tzotzil. Whereas the Mixtec classifier represents a case of grammaticalization, intermediate between lexical numeral classifiers and morphological noun classes or gender systems, Tzotzil numeral classifiers are cleary representative of the lexical numeral classifier type.  I provide a description of the morphology, syntax, and semantics of classifiers in both systems and demonstrate that, despite the typological differences between them, classifier expressions in both of these languages share a characteristic: they are used for purposes of identification and pronominal reference.