Semantics for Counting and Measuring

This thorough linguistic study examines how different languages handle numerical concepts, from basic counting to complex measurement systems, while exploring the fundamental distinction between mass and count nouns. Rothstein presents both established research and original findings, drawing from diverse languages to build a comprehensive theoretical framework. The work connects semantic theory with crosslinguistic data, offering insights into how numerical expressions function across human languages. Readers will find a systematic investigation of how we quantify and measure through language.

What makes this research compelling is its balance between theoretical depth and empirical evidence, with detailed case studies from typologically unrelated languages that reveal universal patterns and unique variations. The book will particularly engage linguistics students and researchers interested in formal semantics, though philosophers of language and cognitive scientists may also appreciate its insights into quantification. Rothstein's work ultimately illuminates how semantic structures shape our most fundamental mathematical expressions across human cultures.