The Birth of Grammatical Gender in PIE
Why is a table feminine in French? The answer is thousands of years old and has little to do with sex. This article traces the origins of grammatical gender back…
Tag: grammatical gender
Are Slavic Languages Gendered? Yes, and It’s Wild
Forget everything you thought you knew about 'he' and 'she'. In Slavic languages, a table is a 'he', a book is a 'she', and a child can be an 'it'.…
The Language of Two Souls: Michif
Discover Michif, one of the world's most unique mixed languages, spoken by the Métis people. A fascinating blend of French and Cree, it splits its very grammar between two language…
Classifying Reality: The Social Impact of Noun Classes and Grammatical Gender
Beyond the simple "he/she/it" of English, many languages categorize the world in ways that are deeply tied to culture and perception. From the gendered objects of French to the elaborate…
What Makes German Difficult to Learn?
Learning a new language can be an exciting, transformative, and occasionally daunting task. When it comes to learning German, it’s true that some aspects present...
How Spanish is Evolving to Reflect Gender Equality
Language is a dynamic, ever-evolving mechanism that mirrors the changing contours of societies. Linguistic shifts reflect social, cultural, and political transformations, giving voice to new...