अंग्रेजी व्याकरण में लिंग का प्रयोग – Use of Gender in English Grammar

• Land lord – Land lady
• Peacock – Peahen

• He – goat – she gaot
• Bull calf- Cow calf

In English grammar, gender refers to the distinction between masculine, feminine, and sometimes neuter forms of nouns and pronouns. Unlike some languages, English does not have a wide range of grammatical gender distinctions, but it does have certain rules for the use of gender-specific nouns, pronouns, and adjectives.

Here’s a breakdown of gender in English grammar:

1. Types of Gender in English:

1. Masculine Gender:

   • Refers to male beings or things traditionally considered male.

   • Example: Boy, Man, Father, Brother, King, Uncle.

   • Pronouns: He, His, Him.

   • Example Sentences:

     • The boy is playing outside.

     • He is going to the store.

2. Feminine Gender:

   • Refers to female beings or things traditionally considered female.

   • Example: Girl, Woman, Mother, Sister, Queen, Aunt.

   • Pronouns: She, Her, Hers.

   • Example Sentences:

     • The girl is reading a book.

     • She loves to sing.

3. Common Gender:

   • Refers to nouns that can be used for either males or females, without specifying the gender.

   • Example: Teacher, Doctor, Friend, Parent, Student.

   • Pronouns: Can be either He or She, depending on the context.

   • Example Sentences:

     • My friend is coming over later. (Could be a male or female friend.)

     • The teacher explained the lesson very well. (Could be a male or female teacher.)

4. Neuter Gender:

   • Refers to non-living things, animals whose gender is not specified, or abstract concepts.

   • Example: Table, Pen, Computer, Idea, Country, Chair.

   • Pronouns: It, Its.

   • Example Sentences:

     • The dog is sleeping. (The gender of the dog isn’t specified, so we use it.)

     • The book is on the table. It is interesting.

2. Gender-Specific Nouns:

Some nouns in English have gender-specific forms, and others do not. For example:

• Masculine: Actor, Waiter, Prince, Husband.

• Feminine: Actress, Waitress, Princess, Wife.

However, the trend in modern English is to use gender-neutral or common-gender terms to avoid reinforcing outdated stereotypes, such as:

• Actor for both males and females.

• Server instead of Waiter or Waitress.

• Spouse instead of Husband or Wife.

3. Gender Pronouns:

In English, gender-specific pronouns are used to reflect the gender of the subject being discussed:

• He/Him/His (Masculine)

• She/Her/Hers (Feminine)

• It/Its (Neuter)

• They/Them/Theirs (Gender-neutral, singular or plural)

• Example Sentences:

  • He is my brother. His name is John.

  • She is my sister. Her name is Mary.

  • The dog is cute. It likes to play.

  • They are coming over later. Their flight arrives at 3 PM.

4. Neutral Gender:

Some terms are gender-neutral, meaning they are not specific to any gender:

• Person, Child, Friend, Teacher, Student, Parent, Doctor.

• These can refer to males or females without changing the form of the word.

5. Gender in Animals:

In animals, English typically uses he/she for gender distinctions when known:

• Masculine: Rooster, Lion, Bull, Buck (for male animals).

• Feminine: Hen, Lioness, Cow, Doe (for female animals).

• Neutral: Cat, Dog, Horse (when the gender is unknown or unspecified).

6. Gender-neutral Terms (Modern Usage):

In recent years, there has been a shift towards using gender-neutral terms in English to promote equality and avoid gender bias, especially when the gender of a person is not specified or is irrelevant:

• Instead of fireman, use firefighter.

• Instead of policeman, use police officer.

• Instead of chairman, use chairperson or chair.

This shift helps ensure that language is inclusive and does not perpetuate gender stereotypes.

Summary of Gender in English Grammar:

• Masculine Gender: Refers to male beings (e.g., boy, father, man).

• Feminine Gender: Refers to female beings (e.g., girl, mother, woman).

• Common Gender: Can refer to both males and females (e.g., teacher, friend, student).

• Neuter Gender: Refers to non-living things or abstract concepts (e.g., table, idea, dog).

• Gender-Neutral: Terms that don’t specify gender (e.g., person, parent).

Would you like more examples or explanations on a specific aspect of gender in English?