Why English Does Not Show Gender the Way Russian, Ukrainian and Spanish Do
Language does not only describe reality. It also decides which parts of reality must be shown grammatically. One of the clearest examples is gender. In some languages, gender is visible almost everywhere. In others, it appears only when the speaker really needs it. English, Russian, Ukrainian and Spanish show this difference very clearly. English: gender is usually hidden In English, the sentence: The teacher came. does not tell us whether the teacher is a man or a woman. The verb came does not change. The noun teacher does not change. The article the does not change. Only the context can show gender: The teacher came. He was tired. The teacher came. She was tired. So in English, gender is usually not marked by grammar. It is shown by the person, the context or the pronoun. This is why English often feels simpler for beginners, but also less specific. Russian: gender can appear in the verb In Russian, gender often becomes visible immediately: Учитель пришёл. Учительница пришла...