Placing a quantifier between a noun and particle?


this is my first question here so please bare with me.

Until the other day I was aware of two different ways use counters

As an adverb.

>   * ペンを３本買いました。
>

As a noun.

>   * ３本のペンを買いました。
>

The other day I found out that you could say

>   * 友達３人と出かけました。
>   * 犬３匹と遊びました。
>

But you can't say

>   * ペン３本を買いました。X
>

At first I thought this was something to do with the と particle, but I found
out these are also correct.

>   * 鍋に水１リットルを入れる。
>   * 鍋に水を１リットル入れる。
>

My question is, what are the rules for placing the quantifier between the noun
and the particle? I apologize in advance if this question has been asked
before, I was unable to find anything. Thanks.




Generally there are three choices for the kind of quantifiers addressed here.
Although the OP's question uses numeral quantifiers, the same would be true
for others, such as すべて, etc.

### Attributive position

That is the case where the quantifier, marked by の, precedes the noun, e.g.
the OP's third example.

### Composition

Composition is when the quantifier follows the noun, but not the case marker.
See the third to sixth of the OP's examples. OP claims that the fifth example
is bad, but I don't think it is (as bad as is claimed).

### Quantifier floating construction

[**Quantifier floating**](http://grammar.about.com/od/pq/g/Quantifier-
Floating.htm) is when the quantifier follows not only the noun, but also the
case marker.

[code]

     (1) 3本のペンを買いました。 
         [[[quantifier-case]noun-case]...verb]
    
[/code]

There the quantifier is subordinate to its **host noun**. From that position,
the quantifier can **float** beyond its host noun. It then resides in a
structurally higher position than in (1). The result is the OP's first
sentence, i.e.

[code]

     (2) ペンを3本買いました。
         [[noun-case][quantifier]...verb]
         
    
[/code]

Japanese quantifier floating has captured the attention of linguists because
it helps identify a subject-object asymmetry. Compare the next two sentences:

[code]

     (3)   ペンを学生が3本買いました。
           A student bought three pens.
     (4) * 学生がペンを3人買いました。
           Three students bought pens.
    
[/code]

In (3), the quantifier floats, and produces (1). Then the object ペンを
scrambles, i.e. moves across the subject 学生が. As a result, the subject now
intervenes between the host noun and its quantifier.  
Example (4) illustrates that the same is not possible with subject-related
quantifiers. The conclusion many linguists draw is that in order for an object
to be able to intervene between a subject and its floated quantifier, the
subject must be base-generated in a position after the object, i.e. in OSV
word order. (4) being ungrammatical, is thus seen as support that Japanese is
"truly" a SOV language.

Quantifier floating in Japanese seems to be largely restricted to host nouns
marked with nominative （が）or accusative （を）case. Other rare cases are
discussed in Shigeru Miyagawa (1989: Structure and Case Marking in Japanese,
Academic Press).

In Miyagawa & Saito (eds) _The Oxford Handbook of Japanese linguistics_
[link](https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-oxford-handbook-of-
japanese-linguistics-9780195307344?cc=il&lang=en&#), there is a good section
on floated quantifiers. An overview of quantifier floating in other languages
can be found [here](http://bobaljik.uconn.edu/papers/FQII.pdf).

### Other quantifiers

Note that there are quantifiers that cannot appear in the constructions above.
Attribution, composition, and floating are only available for quantifier
adjuncts that scope over a noun. There are, however, also quantifier adjuncts
and arguments over verbs:

[code]

     (5) 亀は100年間生きることがある。
         Turtles may live 100 years.
     (6) 物価は3％上がった。
         Prices rose by 3 percent.
    
[/code]

Example (5) shows the quantifier adjunct/adverb 100年間, which scopes over the
verb. (5) cannot be rephrased using attribution or composition. Since
attribution is not available, floating is neither.  
Example (6) shows the quantifier argument 3%. Again, attribution, composition,
and/or floating are not available. Another interesting point is that
quantifier arguments can express differential and absolute values. Quantifier
adjuncts always express absolute values.




Generally there are three choices for the kind of quantifiers addressed here.
Although the OP's question uses numeral quantifiers, the same would be true
for others, such as すべて, etc.

### Attributive position

That is the case where the quantifier, marked by の, precedes the noun, e.g.
the OP's third example.

### Composition

Composition is when the quantifier follows the noun, but not the case marker.
See the third to sixth of the OP's examples. OP claims that the fifth example
is bad, but I don't think it is (as bad as is claimed).

### Quantifier floating construction

[**Quantifier floating**](http://grammar.about.com/od/pq/g/Quantifier-
Floating.htm) is when the quantifier follows not only the noun, but also the
case marker.

[code]

     (1) 3本のペンを買いました。 
         [[[quantifier-case]noun-case]...verb]
    
[/code]

There the quantifier is subordinate to its **host noun**. From that position,
the quantifier can **float** beyond its host noun. It then resides in a
structurally higher position than in (1). The result is the OP's first
sentence, i.e.

[code]

     (2) ペンを3本買いました。
         [[noun-case][quantifier]...verb]
         
    
[/code]

Japanese quantifier floating has captured the attention of linguists because
it helps identify a subject-object asymmetry. Compare the next two sentences:

[code]

     (3)   ペンを学生が3本買いました。
           A student bought three pens.
     (4) * 学生がペンを3人買いました。
           Three students bought pens.
    
[/code]

In (3), the quantifier floats, and produces (1). Then the object ペンを
scrambles, i.e. moves across the subject 学生が. As a result, the subject now
intervenes between the host noun and its quantifier.  
Example (4) illustrates that the same is not possible with subject-related
quantifiers. The conclusion many linguists draw is that in order for an object
to be able to intervene between a subject and its floated quantifier, the
subject must be base-generated in a position after the object, i.e. in OSV
word order. (4) being ungrammatical, is thus seen as support that Japanese is
"truly" a SOV language.

Quantifier floating in Japanese seems to be largely restricted to host nouns
marked with nominative （が）or accusative （を）case. Other rare cases are
discussed in Shigeru Miyagawa (1989: Structure and Case Marking in Japanese,
Academic Press).

In Miyagawa & Saito (eds) _The Oxford Handbook of Japanese linguistics_
[link](https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-oxford-handbook-of-
japanese-linguistics-9780195307344?cc=il&lang=en&#), there is a good section
on floated quantifiers. An overview of quantifier floating in other languages
can be found [here](http://bobaljik.uconn.edu/papers/FQII.pdf).

### Other quantifiers

Note that there are quantifiers that cannot appear in the constructions above.
Attribution, composition, and floating are only available for quantifier
adjuncts that scope over a noun. There are, however, also quantifier adjuncts
and arguments over verbs:

[code]

     (5) 亀は100年間生きることがある。
         Turtles may live 100 years.
     (6) 物価は3％上がった。
         Prices rose by 3 percent.
    
[/code]

Example (5) shows the quantifier adjunct/adverb 100年間, which scopes over the
verb. (5) cannot be rephrased using attribution or composition. Since
attribution is not available, floating is neither.  
Example (6) shows the quantifier argument 3%. Again, attribution, composition,
and/or floating are not available. Another interesting point is that
quantifier arguments can express differential and absolute values. Quantifier
adjuncts always express absolute values.

