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  • FundMECFS@anarchist.nexustoMemes@sopuli.xyzwhy
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    3 days ago

    vaiselle is actually inhereting its gender in an unrelated manner.

    It comes from Latin vāscellum which is a Neuter noun.

    But the specific form that gave rise to vaiselle was the collective plural of that noun vāscella. source

    And it’s a common pattern that in vulgar latin, (what gave rise to french), collective plural nouns were interpreted as feminine. I think this is a general tendency and unrelated to the noun’s meaning. The reason often given is that neuter plural endings and feminine singular endings were the same in Latin.

    BTW; this is also the latin root of the english word vessel.

    (PS: I agree with you that gender in language is problematic and I prefer non gendered as well).