Authors : Anindita Saikia; Dr. Sanjay Kr. Jha

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 6 - June

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/ycy2f6fn

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/tsuzvh63

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26jun955

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Abstract : The Karbi language, a member of the Tibeto-Burman language family spoken primarily in the Karbi Anglong district of Assam, India, exhibits a rich system of nominal classification. This paper investigates the semantic and morphosyntactic properties of numeral classifiers and measure terms in Karbi. Based on primary field data collected in Karbi Anglong and Kamrup districts, the study identifies twenty-six distinct numeral classifiers and several measure terms. The analysis reveals that Karbi classifiers categorize nouns based on a universal semantic grid involving animacy, shape, consistency, and function. Furthermore, the paper highlights a unique morphosyntactic alternation in Karbi: the numeral "one" precedes the classifier as a prefix, whereas numerals denoting quantities greater than one follow the classifier. This research contributes to the broader typological understanding of nominal classification within the Tibeto-Burman language family and documents critical grammatical features of the Karbi language.

Keywords : Karbi Language; Tibeto-Burman; Numeral Classifiers; Measure Terms; Nominal Classification; Morphosyntax; Semantics.

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