A Word Order of Numeral Classifier Languages

Numeral classifiers are one of the classifier types, used with numerals in numeral noun phrases and expression of quantity. This study aims to investigate the word order of numeral classifier phrase (noun, numeral, and classifier) of 44 numeral classifier languages in the world. Firstly, as most scholars agree, it has been found that the numeral classifier system is an areal characteristic in Southeast and Oceania, i.e. 30 out of 44 languages. Secondly, unlike previous studies like Jones (1970), there is a preference of the word order of Num + Cl + N, i.e. 28 out of 44. Thirdly, it appears that there exists strong preference of Num + Cl + N in VO-type languages, i.e. 27 out of 29. Finally, an implicational universal is found in that if a language is V-initial and has numeral classifiers, then the word order would be Num + Cl + N, but not vice versa.