Mass-Count Distinction and the Russian Singulative Suffix -in-

Abstract

The paper addresses the morphosyntax and semantics of the Russian singulative -in-. This suffix attaches to a mass noun denoting an aggregate to derive a count noun naming the natural unit that the aggregate consists of (gorox ‘peas’ vs. goroš-in-a ‘pea’). We propose that -in- realizes two functional heads bundled together – the categorizing n⁰ and a higher head Div⁰ that has a unit-making function and is responsible for the derivation of a count noun. Semantically, -in- functions as a mass-to-count operator that applies to aggregates and yields atomic predicates, by triggering division into natural units.