From objects and processes to categories

Abstract This study proposes a metonymic account of Mandarin classifierization by reframing it as a profile shift, thereby challenging prevailing metaphorical analyses. An investigation of denominal ( tiáo vs. gēn ) and deverbal ( zhāng vs. bǎ ) pairs reveals that both denominal and deverbal classifierization are rooted in metonymic chaining yet pivot on distinct operations. Denominal classifierization involves dereferentialization, which backgrounds physical thinghood via two-member chains. Conversely, deverbal classifierization requires a more extensive chain to reconcile the tension between process and property through atemporalization. However, they converge on a dynamic salient property matrix, from which nouns recruit specific dimensions for conceptual alignment. Thus, the semantic relationship between a classifier and its associated nouns is metonymic. As a corollary, matrix dimensionality and chain complexity indicate degrees of metonymicity, situating classifiers along the lexical-functional continuum. The present study yields a unified account of the cognitive mechanisms underlying the re-profiling of nouns and verbs as classifiers.