What is Gender? Gender কাকে বলে?
Gender এর আভিধানিক অর্থ হল লিঙ্গ। অর্থাৎ Gender হচ্ছে কোন noun বা pronoun এর সেই রূপ যা দিয়ে প্রকাশ করা হয় ঐ noun বা pronoun টি স্ত্রী, পুরুষ, ক্লীব নাকি উভয় লিঙ্গ।
Gender (জেন্ডার) refers to the classification of nouns and pronouns as masculine, feminine, neuter, or common. It indicates the sex or nature of the subject being referred to.
Types of Gender
Gender can be categorized into four main types:
- Masculine Gender (পুং লিঙ্গ)
যে noun বা pronoun নির্দেশ করে যে কোন প্রাণী পুরুষ তাকে Masculine Gender বলে।
The noun or pronoun which indicates that a living being is masculine is called a Masculine Gender.
- Refers to nouns or pronouns that denote male beings.
- Examples:
- Father (পিতা)
- Son (পুত্র)
- Lion (সিংহ)
- Feminine Gender (স্ত্রী লিঙ্গ)
যে noun বা pronoun নির্দেশ করে যে কোন প্রাণী স্ত্রী বা মেয়ে তাকে Feminine Gender বলে।
The noun or pronoun which indicates that a living being is masculine is called a Feminine Gender.
- Refers to nouns or pronouns that denote female beings.
- Examples:
- Mother (মাতা)
- Daughter (কণ্যা)
- Lioness (সিংহী)
- Neuter Gender (ক্লীব লিঙ্গ)
যে noun কোন জড় বস্তুকে বোঝায় যার কোন পুরুষ বা স্ত্রী অবস্থা নেই তাকে Neuter Gender বলে।
The noun which indicates to any lifeless object which does not have any masculine or feminine form is called a Neuter Gender.
- Refers to nouns that represent inanimate objects or entities that do not have a gender.
- Examples:
- Furniture (আসবাব পত্র)
- Book (বই)
- Computer (কম্পিউটার)
- Common Gender (উভয় লিঙ্গ)
যে noun বা pronoun কোন প্রাণীর পুরুষ বা স্ত্রী যেকোন অবস্থাকেই নির্দেশ করতে পারে তাকে Common Gender বলে।
The noun or pronoun which can indicate that a living being is either masculine or feminine is called a Common Gender.- Refers to nouns or pronouns that can denote either male or female beings.
- Examples:
- They (তারা বা তাহারা)
- Teacher (শিক্ষক)
- Baby (শিশু)
Rules for Changing Gender
Rule 1: Different Words for Masculine and Feminine
Some masculine nouns are transformed into feminine nouns by using entirely different words.
| Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|
| Man | Woman |
| Male | Female |
| Husband | Wife |
Rule 2: Adding “ess”
Some masculine nouns become feminine by adding “ess” at the end.
- Examples:
| Masculine | Feminine |
| Lion | Lioness |
| Poet | Poetess |
| Author | Authoress |
| Host | Hostess |
| Jew | Jewess |
| Manager | Manageress |
| Priest | Priestess |
| Steward | Stewardess |
| Baron | Baroness |
| Count | Countess |
| Peer | Peeress |
| Heir | Heiress |
Rule 3: Modifying the Last Vowel
In some cases, the last vowel of a masculine noun is removed, and “ess” is added.
- Examples:
| Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|
| Tiger | Tigress |
| Actor | Actress |
Rule 4: Exceptional Cases
Certain masculine nouns change to feminine by adding “ess” in an unusual manner.
- Examples:
| Masculine | Feminine |
| Tiger | Tigress |
| Director | Directress |
| Instructor | Instructress |
| Actor | Actress |
| Hunter | Huntress |
| Songster | Songstress |
| Conductor | Conductress |
| Benefactor | Benefactress |
Rule 5: Adding Suffixes
Some masculine nouns become feminine by adding suffixes such as “a,” “ine,” or “ix.”
- Examples:
| Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|
| Sultan | Sultana |
| Hero | Heroine |
Rule 6: Changing Compound Nouns
The masculine part of a compound noun can be changed to feminine.
- Examples:
| Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|
| Son-in-law | Daughter-in-law |
Rule 7: Modifying the Second Noun in Compound Nouns
The second noun in a compound noun can be made feminine.
- Examples:
| Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|
| Gentleman | Gentlewoman |
Rule 8: Natural Entities
Some natural entities are considered masculine due to their association with power, while others are seen as feminine due to beauty or gentleness.
- Masculine Examples: Thunder, summer, sun
- Feminine Examples: Night, moon, peace
Rule 9: Always Feminine Nouns
Certain nouns are consistently classified as feminine.
- Examples: Serin, shrew, virgin
Rule 10: Always Masculine Nouns
Certain nouns are always used as masculine.
- Examples: Judge, person, captain
Understanding gender is essential for proper grammar and communication. By familiarizing yourself with these rules and examples, you can enhance your language skills and express yourself more accurately.
