Precedent method of syllable division and types of phonetic and phonemic syllables in modern standard russian

Abstract

The paper considers the results A. I. Moiseev obtained in 1975. They allow evaluating the efficacy and scientific correctness of precedent method of syllable division basing on the study of one-syllable stems Small General-Purpose Dictionary contains. The author reveals the difference between phonetic and phonemic syllables and proposes differentiating syllables in native, borrowed and onomatopoetic words. The paper also presents the classification of phonemes, the hierarchy of phones distinctive features, syllabeme and syllable type calculus in a Russian phonemic syllable. The author points out that the following diphthongs such as еР, оР, еЛ, оЛ realize a syllabic sonant in stressed position. Then the author specifies maximum size of a phonemic syllable initial (4 el-ements) and a final (1 element) in native words. All ‘heavy’ finals belong to borrowed words. In native words, pseudo-heavy finals are initials in the syllable possessing a zero voiced sound. The paper describes ‘cementing’ (according to Baudouin de Courtenay) function of a Russian syllable. It means a dissimilarity of syllable and morpheme boundaries within a word and their exact match at words boundaries. It appears that the language itself regards a so-called ‘postfix’ -ся as both a separate word and a separate member of a sentence. At the same time, it regards both negative particles не (e.g. не-кто), ни (e.g. ни-кто) and verbal prefixes ended in a vowel as separate (albeit functional) words which haven’t become the part of a Russian word despite their being written in one word for a long time. The only exception is a verb archaic suffixal juncture after such power suffixes as =ну, =и, =е, =а. This fact indicates that the structure of a Russian verb is archaic and, since Indo-European times, withstand the ravages of time. The study results in the conclusion that A. I. Moiseev’s studies clearly demonstrate the failure of a precedent method of a syllable division.