Gender Benders

Correct grammar beats political correctness, even in France. Each of the seven women in the French Govern­ment is in future to be addressed as Madame La Ministre according to the decree of the Prime Minister. But language laughs at legislators, for French grammar recognizes no governments other than its own rules. Ministre, like most titles and descriptions of professions in French, is of the masculine gender. The designation of a doctor, director or mayor is masculine, even when the holder of that post is a woman. Linguistic gender has no connection with sex or "natural" gender. Female sailors and farmers were rare in Ancient Rome. But their occupations are in the feminine gender in Latin, the mother of all the Romance languages. A spoon is masculine in German (der Löffel); a fork is feminine (die Gâbel); and a knife is neuter (das Messer). Suspicious French feminists have recently published research suggesting that words of the feminine gender describe domestic items such as une casserole (a saucepan), while masculine words carry more prestige, like un livre (a book). Their evidence is gibberish. Even in languages such as English, where gender is mercifully vestigial and recalled only in pronouns, countries, ships and vehicles are called "she", as well as "it". Gender is not a matter of feminine stereotypes, for "she" can be used in anger. Guns, tanks and trucks that refuse to work are still cursed as feminine.

This question of French gender is being debated with fit passion, as some people care more for political correctness than grammar. Language does evolve, but not for official circulars. So, why not go the whole way and have La Ministresse? If the French are starting to find gender odd, then it will fade away, as it has in English. Even French female masculine ministers have no right (or power) to alter French grammar.

Exercise 21. Are you "politically correct"? Which of the following terms do you use?

1. a) Mrs b) Ms

2. a) a chairman b) a chairperson

3. a) a fireman b) a firefighter

4. a) a pensioner b) a senior citizen

5. a) the handicapped b) the disabled c) the differently abled

6. a) a Red Indian b) a Native American

7. a) ladies b) women

8. a) a congressman b) a member of Congress

9. a) a mailman b) a mail carrier

10. a) mankind b) humanity

11. a) a policeman(woman) b) a police officer

Countable and uncountable nouns Uncountable nouns:

A. 1. Names of substances considered generally:

bread coffee dust glass ice oil paper soap water wood etc.

2. Abstract nouns:

advice experience horror pity

beauty fear information relief

courage help knowledge suspicion

death hope mercy work

3. Also considered uncountable in English:

accommodation furniture scenery shopping

baggage luggage traffic weather

behaviour permission travel

camping parking work

B. Uncountable nouns are always singular and are not used with a/an. These nouns are often preceded by some, any, no, a little etc. or by nouns such as bit, piece, slice etc. + of:

a bit of news a grain of sand

a bar(cake) of soap a piece of advice

a drop of oil a sheet of paper

C. Many of these nouns can be used either countable or uncountable but with some difference in meaning:

paper I bought a paper (=a newspaper).

I bought some paper to write on.

hair There’s a hair in my soup! (=one single hair)

She has beautiful hair.

experience We had many interesting experiences during our holiday. (= things that happened to us)

You need experience for this job. (=knowledge of something because you have done it before)

D. Remember these things:

travel only has a general meaning (‘the activity of travelling in general’); a particular movement from one place to another is called a journey or a trip:

I like travel. but How was your journey?

Note these pairs of countable and uncountable nouns:

I’m looking for a job. I’m looking for work.

What a lovely view! What lovely scenery!

Exercise 22. What have the following groups of words got in common? (We are concerned with grammar rather than with meaning.) Translate the words into Russian / Ukrainian.

1. information luggage news advice furniture

2. family council committee crowd government staff the public

3. customs minutes outskirts thanks lodgings

4. bread rice ink wool iron sugar salt wood

5. knickers trousers tweezers binoculars pyjamas scissors

Exercise 23. Explain the difference between the following pairs of words and use them in sentences of your own.

A. 1. air – an air 11. nature – a nature

2. beauty – a beauty 12. oak – an oak

3. coffee – a coffee 13. paper – a paper

4. cloth – a cloth 14. play – a play

5. dinner – a dinner 15. power – a power

6. fire – a fire 16. rubber – a rubber

7. glass – a glass 17. ice – an ice

8. language – a language 18. stone – a stone

9. lemon – a lemon 19. study – a study

10. light – a light 20. will – a will

B. 1. chicken – a chicken 10. speech – a speech

2. experience – an experience 11. sport – a sport

3. grammar – a grammar 12. success – a success

4. hair – a hair 13. time – a time

5. iron – an iron 14. wood – a wood

6. lace – a lace 15. work – a work

7. life – a life 16. whisky – a whisky

8. room – a room 17. fish – a fish

9. sight – a sight 18. fruit – a fruit

Exercise 24. Comment on the nouns in bold type; translate them into Russian / Ukrainian.

l. Harrods has so much to offer. Vintage wines and sparkling champagne, rustic country pates and silky smooth terrines, delicate scented teas and subtle infusions, buttery shortbread biscuits and rich fruity jams, robust pickles and tangy relishes, mature farmhouse cheddars and crumbly stiltons, hams and smoked salmon which melts in the mouth – all presented in traditional wicker baskets or Harrods boxes. The only thing Harrods can't supply is the weather! 2. Good wines are the best buys before Christmas. 3. I dropped in at the supermarket and bought a few cold meats, and I also made a salad. 4. Fruit juices are ideal in hot weather. 5. My Granny makes four jams every year. 6. I used to eat toast with orange marmalade. 7. France has an excellent range of cheeses. 8. A set menu in this Chinese cafe consists of four soups. I prefer a Singaporean seafood soup. It tastes and smells terrific. 9. Herbal teas are my favourite. 10. This shop sells fine foods. 11. The finest rums come from Puerto Rico. 12. I always have a beer while watching television. 13. Can I offer you something? Coffee, tea, a soda, perhaps? 14. Tea is our most social and sociable drink – a part of our daily life for well over 300 years.

Exercise 25. Choose the appropriate noun from the list below for each sentence. Add an article (a/an/the) or plural (s/es) where necessary.