Morphonological Phenomena in the Russian Word Formation as a Manifestationof Fusion (a Case Study of Diminutives of the Neuter Gender)
The object of the description is relationships between such morphonological elements as stress, alternation of phonemes, suffixation, and the nature of relationship between them. It is assumed that the derivation of diminutives is agglutinative, contrary to the traditional point of view, which is represented in V. V. Lopatin’s, I. S. Uluhanov’s, and E. A. Zemskaya’s works. According to this idea, it is believed that the Russian wordformation is agglutinative, as the affix dominates, and the stress and the alternation of phonemes are subordinate to it. In this article the hypothesis of the fusion of diminutives is expressed. It reveals itself in the fact that the stress, the alternation of phonemes and the affix are functionally equivalent. The hypothesis was confirmed in the research. The article also presents the original concepts of fusion and agglutination, allowing to reveal the interdependence of morphonological elements.