What is Gender in English
The word gender in
English is taken from Latin (genus), which means kind or class. In the English
language, the gender grammatical distinction corresponds with the natural
difference of sex. Many languages around the world use
gender. Gender in a language is just a way of classifying nouns into classes. They may refer to male or female.
To decide which personal pronoun and which possessive determiner should be used
instead of the noun going before the gender differentiation in such cases is relevant. For example
She found her phone.
She had been looking for it.
Here is her bag; take it away.
I think she had been looking for it.
All nouns in English
fall into four gender groups.
What is Masculine Gender
The noun refers to
male people or animals is known as masculine gender. We use them with the
pronouns he, his, him.
Father, boy, bull,
man, Mr. David, etc., are nouns of masculine gender.
What is Feminine Gender
The noun refers to female people
or animals is known as feminine gender. We use them with the pronouns she,
her, hers.
Sister, girl,
heroine, woman, empress, etc., are nouns of feminine gender.
The Neuter Gender Nouns
Things that have no apparent
gender (lifeless things) are called neuter. In some exceptional cases, we associate the neuter gender with children
and small animals. For example
My son loves his little
cat and cannot do without it.
I
saw a black dog. It was
running across the road.
The
horse fell and broke its leg.
When
we saw the baby, it was crying.
Nouns
refer to abstract notions, and inanimate objects also fall in the
category of neuter gender.
Examples of Nouns of
neuter gender are
Chair
Table
Pen
Book
Mobile
Stone
Box
House
Glass
The Common Gender Nouns
A noun that refers to
either male or female is called common gender.
Examples of Common
gender are
Baby
Student
Scientist
Doctor
Parents
Dancer
Manager
Engineer
Singer
Friend
Speaker
Rider
Reporter
Cousin
Journalist
Student
Scientist
Doctor
Parents
Dancer
Manager
Engineer
Singer
Friend
Speaker
Rider
Reporter
Cousin
Journalist
Rules of Forming the Feminine from Masculine Gender
We can distinguish
the genders of nouns using three ways.
Firstly, we are employing
an entirely different word to form the feminine.
| Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|
| Head1Boy | Head2Girl |
| Head1Boar | Head2Sow |
| Head1Husband | Head2Wife |
| Head1King | Head2Queen |
| Head1Uncle | Head2Aunt |
| Head1Wizard | Head2Witch |
| Head1Son | Head2Daughter |
| Head1Sloven | Head2Slut |
| Head1Brother | Head2Sister |
| Head1Father | Head2Mother |
| Head1Colt | Head2Filly |
| Head1Hero | Head2Heroine |
| Head1Tutor | Head2Governess |
| Head1Bull | Head2Cow |
| Head1Dog | Head2Bitch |
| Head1Mallard | Head2Wild Duck |
| Head1Horse or Stallion | Head2Mare |
| Head1Bachelor | Head2Spinster |
| Head1Youth | Head2Maiden |
| Head1Lad | Head2Lass |
| Head1Cock | Head2Hen |
| Head1Buck | Head2Doe |
| Head1Fox | Head2Vixen |
| Head1Gander | Head2Goose |
| Head1Tomcat | Head2Tabby Cat |
| Head1Lord | Head2Lady |
| Head1Lad | Head2Lass |
| Head1Nephew | Head2Niece |
| Head1Widower | Head2Widow |
| Head1Bride-groom | Head2Bride |
| Head1Sir | Head2Madam |
| Head1Papa | Head2Mama |
| Head1Ram | Head2Ewe |
| Head1Rooster | Head2Hen |
| Head1Bullock or Steer | Head2Heifer |
| Head1Mr. | Head2Mrs. |
| Head1Tailor | Head2Dressmaker |
| Head1Gentleman | Head2Lady |
| Head1Sultan | Head2Sultana |
| Head1Signor | Head2Signora |
In a second way, the
suffix “-ess,” “ix,” “en,” “in” is added to the masculine gender to form
its feminine.
| Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|
| Head1Abbot | Head2Abbess |
| Head1Author | Head2Authoress |
| Head1Actor | Head2Actress |
| Head1Hunter | Head2Huntress |
| Head1Poet | Head2Poetess |
| Head1God | Head2Goddess |
| Head1Governor | Head2Governess |
| Head1Founder | Head2Foundress |
| Head1Instructor | Head2Instructress |
| Head1Giant | Head2Giantess |
| Head1Prince | Head2Princess |
| Head1Peer | Head2Peeress |
| Head1Priest | Head2Priestess |
| Head1Prophet | Head2Prophetess |
| Head1Protector | Head2Protectress |
| Head1Patron | Head2Patroness |
| Head1Conductor | Head2Conductress |
| Head1Tiger | Head2Tigress |
| Head1Host | Head2Hostess |
| Head1Shepherd | Head2Shepherdess |
| Head1Sorcerer | Head2Sorceress |
| Head1Songster | Head2Songstress |
| Head1Director | Head2Directress |
| Head1Dauphin | Head2Dauphiness |
| Head1Deacon | Head2Deaconess |
| Head1Manager | Head2Manageress |
| Head1Master | Head2Mistress |
| Head1Waiter | Head2Waitress |
| Head1Emperor | Head2Empress |
| Head1Steward | Head2Stewardess |
| Head1Lion | Head2Lioness |
| Head1Duke | Head2Duchess |
| Head1Count | Head2Countess |
| Head1Marquess | Head2Marchioness |
| Head1Mayor | Head2Mayoress |
| Head1Negro | Head2Negress |
| Head1Baron | Head2Baroness |
| Head1Ambassador | Head2Ambassadress |
| Head1Murderer | Head2Murderess |
| Head1Benefactor | Head2Benefactress |
By placing a feminine
word before or after a masculine
| Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|
| Head1Grandfather | Head2Grandmother |
| Head1Boy cousin | Head2Girl cousin |
| Head1Boyfriend | Head2Girlfriend |
| Head1Manservant | Head2Woman servant |
| Head1Milkman | Head2Milkmaid |
| Head1Landlord | Head2Landlady |
The sun, time, winter, summer, dawn, morn, and
death are made masculine. The moon, the earth, the night is feminine.