Chapter One Introduction 1.1 Background of the Study 1.2 Statement of the Problem 1.3 Objectives of the Study 1.4 Significance of the Study 1.5 Outline of the Study Chapter Two Previous Studies on Verbal Classifiers in Mandarin Chinese 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Common Aspects of Research Related to Classifier Languages 2.3 Studies on Mandarin Chinese Verbal Classifiers 2.4 Research Gaps and Research Questions 2.5 Summary Chapter Three Theoretical Framework 3.1 Introduction 3.2 The Pre—linguistic Thinking Level 3.3 The Linguistic Thinking Level 3.4 A Model of the Emergence of Verbal Classifiers Chapter Four Interpreting and Classifying Verbal Classifiers from a Cognitive Perspective 4.1 Introduction 4.2 A Cognitive Perspective on the Parallel between Verbal Classifiers and Nominal Classifiers 4.3 Classification of Verhs 4.4 Cognitive Interpretation and Classification of Verbal Classifiers 4.5 Summary Chapter Five Methodology 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Data Collection 5.3 Data Analysis 5.4 Summary Chapter Six Cognitive Emergence of Human Body Part Verbal Classifiers 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Characteristics of Human Body Part Words 6.3 The Pre—linguistic Thinking Level 6.4 The Linguistic Thinking Level Ⅰ 6.5 The Linguistic Thinking Level Ⅱ 6.6 Summary Chapter Seven Cognitive Emergence of Instrument Verbal Classifiers 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Characteristics of Instrument Words 7.3 The Pre—linguistic Thinking Level 7.4 The Linguistic Thinking Level Ⅰ 7.5 The Linguistic Thinking Level Ⅱ 7.6 Summary Chapter Eight Cognitive Emergence of Frequency Verbal Classifiers 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Characteristics of Frequency Verbal Classifiers 8.3 The Pre—linguistic Thinking Level 8.4 The Linguistic Thinking Level Ⅰ 8.5 The Linguistic Thinking Level Ⅱ 8.6 Summary Chapter Nine Comparison across the Sub—categories of Verbal Classifiers 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Comparison at the Pre—linguistic Thinking Leve|——Mind Activities 9.3 Comparison at the Linguistic Thinking Level Ⅰ—Motivations of Grammatical Metonymy 9.4 Comparison at the Linguistic Thinking level Ⅱ—Constructional Behaviors 9.5 Summary Chapter Ten Conclusion 10.1 Summary of the Study 10.2 Implications of the Study 10.3 Limitations of the Study 10.4 Suggestions for Further Studies References