Gender

 

Gender shows the difference of sex, thus it tells the gender of Noun.

 

There are four kinds of gender in English.

 

1.   Masculine:  for nouns denoting male living beings.

2.   Feminine:  for nouns denoting female living beings.

3.   Common:  for nouns denoting living beings of either sex.

4.   Neuter:  for nouns denoting lifeless things.

 

Now think which nouns are said to be in what gender

 

Masculine	Man, Boy, King, Father, Son, Uncle, Horse
Feminine	Woman, Girl, Queen, Mother, Daughter, Aunt, Mare
Common	Student, Friend, Baby, Parent
Neuter	Chair, Cupboard, Bed, Car, Tractor

 

Rules of forming feminine of masculine gender

6 ways or rules of forming feminine gender

 

1.   Some masculine nouns are added with ‘ess’ for forming feminine genders.

 

Host	Hostess
Jew	Jewess
Heir	Heiress
Giant	Giantess
Author	Authoress
Baron	Baroness
Count	Countess
Lion	Lioness

 

 

2.   Some nouns are changed into feminine gender by adding ‘ess’ but after dropping final vowel or the vowel preceding the final consonant.

 

Ambassador	Ambassadress
Arbiter	Arbitress
Actor	Actress
Director	Directress
Benefactor	Benefactress
Conductor	Conductress
Founder	Foundress
Hunter	Huntress
Instructor	Instructress
Negro	Negress
Preceptor	Preceptress
Prince	Princess
Proprietor	Proprietress
Protector	Protectress
Songster	Songstress
Tempter	Temptress
Tiger	Tigress
Traitor	Traitress
Votary	Votaress
Waiter	Waitress

 

 

3.   Some nouns are haphazardly or irregularly changed from Masculine to Feminine without any particular method.

 

Abbot	Abbess
Duke	Duchess
Emperor	Empress
god	goddess
Governor	Governess
Master	Mistress
Murderer	Murderess
Sorcerer	Sorceress

 

 

4.   Some nouns are changed from Masculine to Feminine gender by other endings

 

Administrator	Administratrix
Don	Dona
Executor	Executrix
Hero	Heroine
Signor	Signora
Sultan	Sultana
Testator	Testatrix
Widower	Widow

 

 

5.    Gender of some nouns is changed by using different words

 

Horse	Mare
Bachelor	Maid
Boar	Sow
Boy	Girl
Bridegroom	Bride
Buck	Doe
Bullock	Heifer
Bull	Cow
Brother	Sister
Cock	Hen
Colt	Filly
Dog	Bitch
Drake	Duck
Drone	Bee
Fox	Vixen
Gander	Goose
Gentleman	Lady
Hart	Roe
Husband	Wife
King	Queen
Man	Woman
Lad	Lass
Lord	Lady
Monk	Nun
Mr.	Mrs.
Nephew	Niece
Son	Daughter
Ram	Ewe
Sir	Madam
Earl	Countess
Wizard	Witch

 

6.   Some nouns take a word before or after for changing gender.

 

Buck-rabbit	Doe-rabbit
Bull-calf	Cow-calf
Bull-elephant	Cow-elephant
Cock-sparrow	Hen-sparrow
Doctor	Lady-doctor
Grandfather	Grandmother
He-bear	She-bear
He-goat	She-goat
Jack-ass	Jenny-ass
Landlord	Landlady
Man-servant	Maid-servant
Milkman	Milkmaid
Pea-cock	Pea-hen

 

7 Important rules to be noted about gender

 

1.  Gender of Proper noun may be masculine, feminine and neuter.

2.  Gender of Common noun may be masculine, feminine, and common, neuter.

3.  Gender of all Material, collective, and abstract nouns is always neuter.

4.  Collective nouns denoting living beings are also considered to be of neuter gender unless becoming non collective.

5.  Children and small animal are also considered to be of neuter gender.

6.  Objects known for their strength are considered to be of masculine gender.

(The sun, the summer, the winter, death)

7.  Objects known for their beauty, gentleness and gracefulness are considered to be of feminine gender.

       (The earth, the moon, the ship, the spring)