Re: gender in indo-european languages

From: Yusuf B Gursey (ybg_at_theworld.com)
Date: 09/29/04 

Date: 29 Sep 2004 11:15:06 -0700

Ruud Harmsen <realemailseesite01@rudhar.com> wrote in message news:<jteil0lume6skaj7odjaoo5pfacsio0jjk@4ax.com>...
> Tue, 28 Sep 2004 11:55:23 +0200: piotr panek
> <piotrpanek@onegazetatwo.threeplfour>: in sci.lang:
>
> >Not exactly. In Polish there are words, which declension is feminine,
> >but their adjectives, numeratives and pronouns are masc. Conf: 'dad' and
> >'mum'.
>
> Silly theory: Hebrew influence? I think in Arabic and Hebrew, feminine

AFAIK semitic in general.

> nouns get masculine numerals, and vice versa.

there are a few words with opposite gender marking in arabic as an
honorific:

xali:fa(t) in the meaning of "Caliph" rather than just "(any)
successor"

back to IE, Kurdish ((N.)Kurmanji and pe^rhaps others) uses opposite
gender vocatives (these may become permannaet nicknames) as
honorifics. Xaco (xa:*dj*o:) (masc. voc. is -o) (from arabic Khatija,
women's name) is honorific while Xace^ (fem. vocative is -e ;
xa:*dj*e: ; e: is closed) is not.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: gender in indo-european languages
    ... In Polish there are words, which declension is feminine, ... >> and 'mum'. ... > Silly theory: Hebrew influence? ...
    (sci.lang)
  • Re: gender in indo-european languages
    ... numeratives and pronouns are masc. ... Silly theory: Hebrew influence? ... I think in Arabic and Hebrew, feminine ... nouns get masculine numerals, and vice versa. ...
    (sci.lang)