292

The Loom of Language

(i) MASCULINE are

(a) Names of adult males (excluding diminutives), seasons,
months, days and compass points Notable exceptions
Die Nacht (night), die Woche (week), dasjahr (year)

(V) Nouns which end in -EN (excluding infinitives so used)

(u) FEMININE are

(a) Names of adult females (excluding diminutives) Notable

exception das Weib (wife or woman)

(b) Nouns which end in -El, -HEIT, -KBIT, -SCHAFT,

-IN, and -UNG and foreign words which end in -IE,
-IK, -ION, -TAT

(111) NEUTER are

(a) Diminutives which end m -LEIN or -CHEN
(6) Metals

(c) All other parts of speech used as nouns, together with the

following common words

BLATT (leaf)
DORF (village)
GRAS (grass)

HAUS

HOTEL

LAND

STROH (straw)
AUGE (eye)

BEIN (leg)

BLUT (blood)
HAAR (hair)
HERZ (heart)
OHR (ear)

(dress)
(cloth)

German verb-roots used as nouns without change are generally mas-
culine, e g. fallen—der Fall> latffen—der Lauf (run—course), sttzen—der
Sttz (sit—seat), schreien—der Schret (cry) If the verb-root changes,

EIS
(ice)
El
(egg)

ENDE
(end)
HUHN
(fowl)

FEUER
(fire)
INSERT

GAS
(gas)
KANINCHEN (rabbit)

JAHR
(year)
PFERD
(horse)

LIGHT
(hght)
SCHAF
(sheep)

WASSER
(water)
SCHWEIN
(pig)

TIER
(animal)

BAD
(bath)
BIER
(beer)

BETT
(bed)
BROT
(bread)

BELD
(picture)
FETT
(fat)

BUCK
(book)
FLEISCH
(meat)

FENSTER
(window)
GEMUSE
(greens)

KISSEN
(cushion)
OL
(oil)

SCHLOSS
(lock, castle)

ZIMMER
(room)

BILLET
(ticket)
BECKE

BOOT
(boat)
GLAS

DAGH
(roof)
KLEID

DECK

PAPIEI

DOCK

TUCH

SCHIFF
(ship)

SEGEL
(sail)