Ch'ol Numeral Classifier Lexicon

Typed classifier entries for Ch'ol (Cholan, Mayan), a classifier-for-numeral language ([LMR22]; [BC14]). Classifiers in Ch'ol are bound morphemes suffixed to the numeral stem, obligatory with all Mayan-based numerals (1–6 and the vigesimal system); Spanish-borrowed numerals (7+) already encode a measure function and take no classifier.

Main declarations

• Chol.Classifiers.pej, kojty, tyikil, kej, tsijty, bujch: the classifier entries ([LMR22] Table 4).
• Chol.Classifiers.allClassifiers, defaultClassifier: the inventory and its generic default (-p'ej).

Implementation notes

Ch'ol classifiers are largely derived from positional and transitive verb roots ([AL09]; [BCA19]); the position or shape of the noun is relevant, so the same noun can be counted with different classifiers depending on its configuration (e.g. one long tree vs. one fallen tree). [AL09] identifies at least 180 classifiers.

In the CLF-for-NUM analysis ([LMR22] §4; [BC14]), each classifier denotes a measure function μ that the numeral requires as its first argument:

⟦ux⟧ = λm λP λx. [P(x) ∧ m(x) = 3] ⟦-kojty⟧ = μ_# (atom-counting measure for animals)

Numeral classifiers ([LMR22] Table 4)

def Chol.Classifiers.pej : NounCategorization.ClassifierEntry

-p'ej — inanimate/generic default classifier. Semantically bleached for inanimates; also the base of vigesimal classifiers (-k'al for 20, -bajk for 400, -pijk for 8000).

Equations

• Chol.Classifiers.pej = { form := "-p'ej", gloss := "inanimate/generic", isDefault := true }

def Chol.Classifiers.kojty : NounCategorization.ClassifierEntry

-kojty — animals. Derived from positional root koty 'standing on four legs'.

Equations

• Chol.Classifiers.kojty = { form := "-kojty", gloss := "animal", semantics := [NounCategorization.SemanticParameter.animacy] }

def Chol.Classifiers.tyikil : NounCategorization.ClassifierEntry

-tyikil — people/humans.

Equations

• Chol.Classifiers.tyikil = { form := "-tyikil", gloss := "human", semantics := [NounCategorization.SemanticParameter.humanness] }

def Chol.Classifiers.kej : NounCategorization.ClassifierEntry

-k'ej — flat round objects (tortillas, tables).

Equations

• Chol.Classifiers.kej = { form := "-k'ej", gloss := "flat.round", semantics := [NounCategorization.SemanticParameter.shape], shapeDimension := some NounCategorization.ShapeDimension.twoD }

def Chol.Classifiers.tsijty : NounCategorization.ClassifierEntry

-ts'ijty — long things (trees, ropes).

Equations

• Chol.Classifiers.tsijty = { form := "-ts'ijty", gloss := "long", semantics := [NounCategorization.SemanticParameter.shape], shapeDimension := some NounCategorization.ShapeDimension.oneD }

def Chol.Classifiers.bujch : NounCategorization.ClassifierEntry

-bujch — seated/propped up things (bottles propped up, seated objects). Derived from positional root buch 'seated'.

Equations

• Chol.Classifiers.bujch = { form := "-bujch", gloss := "seated/propped", semantics := [NounCategorization.SemanticParameter.arrangement] }

Inventory

def Chol.Classifiers.allClassifiers : List NounCategorization.ClassifierEntry

Equations

• Chol.Classifiers.allClassifiers = [Chol.Classifiers.pej, Chol.Classifiers.kojty, Chol.Classifiers.tyikil, Chol.Classifiers.kej, Chol.Classifiers.tsijty, Chol.Classifiers.bujch]

def Chol.Classifiers.defaultClassifier : NounCategorization.ClassifierEntry

Equations

• Chol.Classifiers.defaultClassifier = Chol.Classifiers.pej

Verification

theorem Chol.Classifiers.default_is_default : defaultClassifier.isDefault = true

The default classifier is marked as default.

theorem Chol.Classifiers.specific_classifiers_motivated : ((List.filter (fun (x : NounCategorization.ClassifierEntry) => !x.isDefault) allClassifiers).all fun (x : NounCategorization.ClassifierEntry) => decide (x.semantics.length > 0)) = true

All non-default classifiers carry at least one semantic parameter.

theorem Chol.Classifiers.classifiers_are_bound : (allClassifiers.all fun (x : NounCategorization.ClassifierEntry) => x.form.startsWith "-") = true

Ch'ol classifiers are bound morphemes (suffixes on the numeral stem). All forms begin with a hyphen, indicating bound status.