The role of suffix in the process of synthesis of the morphonological image of the word in the Russian word formation (on the material of nouns)

The aim of this study is to describe the morphonological rules governing the selection of the allomorphs of the suffix -ость (-есть) and to examine their role in shaping the morphonological structure of derived words. An analysis of abstract feminine nouns formed with the suffix -ость (-есть) revealed the following relationship: the morphonological characteristics of the derivational base, particularly stress and phoneme alternation, first determine the allomorph of the suffix, that is, the specific realization of the derivational suffix. The selected allomorph, in turn, determines the stress pattern and the consonantal outcome of the stem of the derived word. The study establishes a specific hierarchy of morphonological units involved in the formation of the phonological structure of the derivatives under investigation. This hierarchy comprises the stress morphoneme, phoneme alternation, and allomorph alternation. Functionally, the suffix was found to be equivalent to stress and phoneme alternation, indicating the fusional nature of the word class under investigation and challenging the traditional view that assigns the suffix a dominant role over stress and phoneme alternation.
The findings of the study, particularly the established significance of the suffix for the theoretical description of morphonological phenomena in the Russian language, as well as the proposed model of morphonological analysis of Russian word formation, contribute to the development of morphonology as an independent field of linguistic research.
The practical significance of the study lies in the potential application of its findings and research materials to the compilation of specialized morphonological dictionaries.