Reduplication in Russian verbs and adjectives: Motivating form with morphosyntactic constraints

Abstract

In this paper, I argue that the Russian verbal suffix -iva and the adjectival suffix -Vj(V) result from a unique morphological process. To this end, I point out that -iva and -Vj(V) are complex items where -i- and -j- (respectively) play an unclear role. As a first step, I focus on the representation of -iva. I take up the hypothesis of Coats (1974) where -iva is assumed to be the reduplication of an imperfectivizing suffix -(v)a. Second, I show that -Vj(V) results from a similar phenomenon: it involves the repetition of a gender suffix. From this perspective, both -i- and -j- are conditioned by a reduplication process. Finally, I propose a derivation of these segments based on an identity avoidance constraint. I argue that these are realizations of an expletive root √ I licensing sequences of two identical syntactic heads.