In search of a zero derivational suffix (Verbal nouns of the type zvon, shum, shelest in Modern Russian)

The present article is devoted to the regularities of the formation of suffixless nomina actionis derived from the Russian verbs of the second conjugation (with an infinitive ending in -еть or -ать) that denote different speech actions and sounds (галдеть ‘to clamor’, шелестеть ‘to rustle’, кричать ‘to shout’, etc.). It is demonstrated that the morphophonological restrictions, which are connected with the presence vs. absence of a consonant cluster at the end of the stem and regulate the ability of suffixless nouns to be derived from the group of verbs in question, are specific for this fragment of the Russian derivational system only. Thus, it is the introduction of a special zero derivational suffix that should be accepted as the most adequate way of describing this phenomenon.