The morphonological structure of suffixes

The objective of the thesis is to synchronically analyze the morphological structure of noun suffixes: analyze phonemes distribution and demonstrate their joining possibilities and limits in noun suffixes. The structure of morphemes is the least analyzed part of morphology. Linguists have mostly analyzed morphologic alteration of phonemes (vowel alteration, metathesis, consonant alteration). More comprehensive analyses of the phonetic structure of the root of the word of modern Lithuanian have not been performed till today. Affixes have not been analyzed at all. This is the first attempt aiming to show the structural peculiarities of Lithuanian noun suffixes. The thesis sets the following tasks: a) To identify and define the noun suffixes phonemic component parts and their relations. b) To identify structural models and productivity of noun suffixes. c) To calculate statistic characteristics of phonemes used in noun suffixes. The noun suffix nr. 571 has been selected to serve as an empiric material from “Lithuanian Grammar” volume 1 (LKG, 1965, p.251-423) by Vincas Urbutis chapters on composition of the noun. The thesis follows the defined limits of suffixes in V. Urbutis grammar. International words have been completely disregarded. While analyzing the structure of noun suffix, the analyzed suffixes are divided into 3 groups for convenience and clarity: monosyllabic, polysyllabic and non-syllabic suffixes. Each group is analyzed separately. The following components are the composing parts of the suffix formal structure: center (V), represented by vowels or diphthongs, initial (C1) – consonants before the center, finale (Cf) – consonants after the center, and median (Cm) – consonants dividing the centers of adjacent polysyllabic suffixes. Having inventoried the sum of these structural components and having analyzed their combinability possibilities and limits, the maximum number of allowable elements has become clear in each position, and initial, finale and median consonants combinations have been composed. Based on syntagmatic subclasses of consonants combinations (S – fricative, T – explosive, R – vocal) the following components are identified: STR, TR, ST, TT, RS and etc. Formal structure of the suffix is reflected by structural models, e.g.: CVC, VCCC, VCVC, CVCVC and etc. Theoretically derived amount of structural models, attained considering common factors determining phonic structure of the suffix is compared to empirically defined number of models; based on model’s occurrence each of their productivity is determined. While describing monosyllabic, polysyllabic and non-syllabic suffixes phonemes frequency is presented. The performed analysis of the Lithuanian noun suffix structure allows coming to the following conclusions: The majority of noun suffixes are monosyllabic (78.81%). Disyllabic suffixes belong to polysyllabic suffixes (5.25%). There aren’t any longer noun suffixes in the Lithuanian Language. Besides syllabic suffixes there are groups of non-syllabic suffixes making 15.94%. The scope of the suffix initial or medial can be from one to two consonants; the final can have up to three consonants; however, the total number of consonants in the suffix does not exceed 4 phonemes. There are no suffixes having more than one maximum group of consonants. When a consonantal part is bigger in the suffix, the number of other consonantal parts members is smaller. The initial of the noun suffix is facultative. Sometimes there may be no initial, however, the finale is essential. Therefore, all substantive suffixes are closed, and based on the initial, they are divided into 2 groups – uncovered (without the initial and starting with the center), covered (starting with a consonantal part). In polysyllabic suffixes, besides the finale, there must be the medial. The majority of Lithuanian noun suffixes are composed by uncovered suffixes. They make 91% of all monosyllabic suffixes and 97% of all polysyllabic suffixes. Suffixes starting with a consonant are rare in our language. The number of consonants and their distribution around the centre of the suffix determines the variety and quantity of structural models of the suffix. The complexity of the structural model is inversely proportional to its productivity. The most productive monosyllabic suffixes model is VC, polysyllabic – VCVC (respectively 69% of all monosyllabic and 70% of all polysyllabic suffixes), non-syllabic – C (63% of all consonantal suffixes). Statistical calculations more thoroughly describe the analyzed suffixes. Consonantal phonemes are more common than vowel phonemes in monosyllabic and in polysyllabic suffixes. The following phonemes are most commonly used in suffixes: /i/, /n’/, /l’/, /I’/, /k’/, /t/, /n/, /k/, /u/. The phonemes /c/, /p/, /p’/ are not used in suffixes at all, as well as consonants of foreign origin.Švietimo akademijaVytauto Didžiojo universiteta