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Which languages don't have a gender system?
Thread poster: Sara Senft
atmcclure
atmcclure
United States
Local time: 22:02
English has three cases. Jul 17, 2013

Tim Drayton wrote:

The following argument seems to be true to me:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genitive_case

"Some linguists argue that it is a common misconception that English nouns have a genitive case, marked by the particle that is always pronounced as part of the preceding word. This is claimed on the basis of the following sort of example: "The king of Sparta’s wife was called Helen." If the English -’s were a genitive case mark, then the wife would belong to Sparta; but the -’s attaches not to the word Sparta, but to the entire phrase the king of Sparta."



English has three cases (declension): Nomitive, possessive, and objective, which covers indirect objective, direct object, and objective of preposition. The possessive sounds the same as most plurals, having an s/z sound, depending upon preceeding sound. It is written as apostrophe s or s apostophe in most plurals. Only pronouns actually change form as other major languages do. Nouns that do not form plurals normally (adding an s) keep the apostrophe s as woman"s/women"s (no apostrophe on this keyboard).
 
mjbjosh
mjbjosh
Local time: 04:02
English to Latvian
+ ...
Pardon? Oct 22, 2013

atmcclure wrote:

English has three cases (declension): Nomitive, possessive, and objective, which covers indirect objective, direct object, and objective of preposition. The possessive sounds the same as most plurals, having an s/z sound, depending upon preceeding sound. It is written as apostrophe s or s apostophe in most plurals. Only pronouns actually change form as other major languages do. Nouns that do not form plurals normally (adding an s) keep the apostrophe s as woman"s/women"s (no apostrophe on this keyboard).


No offence, but have you ever studied linguistics? Your post sounds like a very non-orthodox interpretation of what is a case or a declension to the scientific society. English does not have cases or declension.
 
mjbjosh
mjbjosh
Local time: 04:02
English to Latvian
+ ...
Any Oct 22, 2013

Ty Kendall wrote:

mjbjosh wrote:

Sheila Wilson wrote:
Nowadays, all inanimate objects (at least, when I refer to them) are "it", along with animals where I have no idea of gender, and even new-born babies before the midwife (midhusband??) has had a chance to see what's what.


I am afraid, this is not true. The ships and some other noun categories are still feminine, according to respectable English grammar manuals.


.....which ones?


Any!
 
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Which languages don't have a gender system?






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