study <\/a>done by Roy Lyster of McGill University shows that “81 percent of feminine nouns and 80 percent of masculine nouns are rule governed, having endings that systematically predict their gender.” Quite simply, this means that if you know which word endings are typically masculine and which are typically feminine, you’ll be right about the gender of the word 80% of the time.<\/p>\nThe following list shows word endings that, according to Lyster’s study accurately reflect gender over 90% of the time:<\/p>\n
Feminine noun endings:<\/strong><\/p>\n-aie (as in haie<\/em>) — 100%<\/p>\n-oue (as in\u00a0boue<\/em>) — 100%<\/p>\n-eue (as in\u00a0banlieue<\/em>) — 100%<\/p>\n-ue (as in\u00a0rue<\/em>) — 100%<\/p>\n-arbe, -ombe, -ourbe (as in barbe)\u00a0<\/em>— 100%<\/p>\n-ion (as in\u00a0station<\/em>) — 98%<\/p>\n-ie (as in\u00a0scie<\/em>) — 98%<\/p>\n-euse, -ouse, -ase, -aise, -ese, -oise, -ise, -yse, -ose, -ause, -use (as in\u00a0perseuse) —\u00a0<\/em>97%<\/p>\n-t\u00e9, -i\u00e9, -\u00e9e (as in dict\u00e9e<\/em>) — 95%<\/p>\n-ette, -ete, – \u02c6 ete, ` -atte, -aite, -otte, -utte, -aute, -eute, -oite, -oute, -arte, -erte, -orte, -ante, -ente, -inte, -onte (as in dette)\u00a0<\/em>— 95%<\/p>\n-ande, -ende, -onde, -ade, -ude, -aude, -arde, -orde, -ourde (as in viande)<\/em>\u00a0— 95%<\/p>\n-asse, -ace, -esse, -ece, -aisse, -isse\/-ice, -uce, -ousse, -ance, -anse, -ence, -ince, -once, -ource\/-ourse (as in classe<\/em>)\u00a0— 93%<\/p>\nMasculine noun endings:<\/strong><\/p>\n-ai, -ais, -ait, -es, -et (as in d\u00e9lai<\/em>) — 100%<\/p>\n-it, -est (as in\u00a0granit)\u00a0<\/em>– 100%<\/p>\n-ail, -eil, -euil, -ueil (as in\u00a0deuil<\/em>) — 100%<\/p>\n-an, -and, -ant, -ent (as in\u00a0volcan<\/em>) — 99%<\/p>\n-at, -as, -ois, -oit (as in\u00a0bois)\u00a0<\/em>— 99%<\/p>\n-as, -is, -os, -us, -ex (as in atlas)\u00a0<\/em>— 99%<\/p>\n-al, -el, -il, -ol, -eul, -all (as in\u00a0festival)\u00a0<\/em>— 99%<\/p>\n-in, -int, -om, -ond, -ont, -on (as in\u00a0pont<\/em>) — 99% (but not after\u00a0sc)<\/em><\/p>\n-ou, -out, -out, -oux (as in\u00a0bijoux<\/em>) — 98%<\/p>\n-i, -il, -it, -is, -y (as in\u00a0defi) —\u00a0<\/em>97%<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
-air, -er, -erf, -ert, -ar, -arc, -ars, -art, -our, -ours, -or, -ord, -ors, -ort, -ir, -oir (as in \u00e9clair<\/i>) — 97%<\/p>\n
-eau, -au, -aud, -aut, -o, -os, -ot (as in\u00a0rideau<\/em>) — 93%<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
But, of course, nothing is ever black and white. Here are some ambiguous endings, which means that they are split between being masculine and feminine gender:<\/p>\n
-a, -ia, -oi\/-oix, -\u00e7on\/-son<\/p>\n
-erce\/-erse, -orce\/-orse<\/p>\n
-aque, -eque, -ique, -oque<\/p>\n
-ane, -ene, -one, -oine<\/p>\n
-amme, -omme, -ame, -ime, -ume, -arme, -erme, -orme<\/p>\n
-uge, -ige, -erge, -ange, -onge<\/p>\n
-erbe, -ape, -ipe, -ope, -oupe, -aphe<\/p>\n
-are, -ore, -oire, -ir, -ere, -re<\/p>\n
-ede, -ide, -ode<\/p>\n
-ate, -ite, -ote, -ute, -ecte, -ulte, -este, -iste, -epte<\/p>\n
-agne, -igne, -ogne, -aigne\/-eigne<\/p>\n
Check out the rest of Lyster’s study for more detailed information about additional gender predictive endings. And don’t forget to enjoy Boston’s “More than a Feeling” below!<\/p>\n
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