Iterative/Semelfactive = Collective/Singulative? Parallels in Slavic

In this paper, I will discuss a topic concerning part–whole structures in the nominal and verbal domain. Specifically, I will address the question of whether there is a universal mechanism for the individuation of entities and events by exploring parallels between singulatives and semelfactives in Slavic. Singulatives are derived unit nouns, whereas semelfactives are punctual verbs that describe a brief event which culminates by returning to the initial state. Cross-linguistically, singulative morphology often alternates with collective marking, whereas semelfactives alternate with iteratives. Collectives and iteratives describe homogenous groupings of entities and events, respectively. From a conceptual perspective, both singulatives and semelfactives individuate to the effect of singular bounded unit reference and in the literature, the parallel between the mass count/distinction and aspect has often been drawn. In Slavic, singulative and semelfactive morphologies share a component; specifically, both markers involve a nasal -n and a vocalic component, e.g., compare Russian gorox ‘peas (as a mass)’ ∼goroš-in-a ‘a pea’ and prygať ‘to jump (repeatedly)’ ∼ pryg-nu-ť ‘to jump once’. I will argue that the singulative -in and semelfactive -nu are complex and both involve the very same -n, which denotes a declustering atomizer modeled in mereotopological terms.