Use of repeated measure words

[anonymoose]

Many sentences contain repeated measure words, such as:

西沙群岛一带海水五光十色，瑰丽无比: 有深蓝的，淡青的，浅绿的，杏黄的。一块块，一条条，相互交错着。

西沙群岛也是鸟的天下。岛上有一片片茂密的树林，树林里栖息着各种海鸟。

在快乐的生活里，我们一天天长大。

早晨，从山坡上，从坪坝里，从一条条开着绒球花和太阳花的小路上，走来了许多小学生。

男孩常常是爬到树上，用长长的钩刀一下又一下地削着槐米。一簇簇槐米落下来了。

What is the exact meaning of this repetition? I guess it means something like 'lots of', but why is it then used together with yī 一? This seems to contradict the fact that it refers to a non-singular number of whatever it is.

Are there any rules to this use of repeated measure words? Could I say, for example, 我喝了一杯杯酒? It doesn't sound right to me.

[HashiriKata]

What is the exact meaning of this repetition? I guess it means something like 'lots of', but why is it then used together with yī 一? This seems to contradict the fact that it refers to a non-singular number of whatever it is.

Repetition with 一 often means each_x / every_x. Since each_x / every_x connotes that there is more than one x, and therefore often means "plural".

Anoyther way of looking at it is : 一块块，一条条, 一天天, etc can be regarded as 一块一块，一条一条, 一天一天.

Could I say, for example, 我喝了一杯杯酒? It doesn't sound right to me.

No, it doesn't. You'll need a bit more context to make it sound "right" ( if it ever does ).

[Quest]

Repetition with 一 often means each_x / every_x. Since each_x / every_x connotes that there is more than one x, and therefore often means "plural". Anoyther way of looking at it is : 一块块，一条条, 一天天, etc can be regarded as 一块一块，一条一条, 一天一天.

I think more like "one after one": 一块又一块 (piece after piece)，一天又一天(day after day) etc..

Could I say, for example, 我喝了一杯杯酒? It doesn't sound right to me.

You can say: 我喝了一杯又一杯的酒....

[Jose]

I recommend the book "Chinese: A comprehensive grammar" by Yip Po-Ching and Don Rimmington (Routledge, London, 2004). On page 43 there is a section on reduplicated measure words where this usage is explained. Yip and Rimmington roughly differentiate four usages:

1. Every, all. Example: 条条大路通罗马 All roads lead to Rome.

2. Each and every one, when used with 一. Example: 一朵朵花 Every single flower.

3. Many, when used in the pattern 一 MW MW 的. Example: 一座座的桥 Many a bridge.

4 One after another, in the pattern 一 MW 一 MW. Example: 一个一个地 One after another. I think in these cases it is common to use 又 to stress the meaning of succession, as in Quest's examples.

The book has more examples. I think it is an excellent book, and I definitely recommend it.

[anonymoose]

Thanks for your answers everyone.

I recommend the book "Chinese: A comprehensive grammar" by Yip Po-Ching and Don Rimmington (Routledge, London, 2004).

I actually have this book already, and that'll teach me to check more carefully before I post questions here.