Gender in Language and Ambiguity
Gender in Language and Ambiguity[edit]
Orangeflu discussed the role of grammatical gender in languages such as Dutch and German, suggesting that gender adds a layer of redundancy akin to error correction. This redundancy helps listeners narrow down noun meanings in noisy environments or when attention is divided. For instance, knowing that the word "Auto" is neuter allows the brain to limit its search for meaning.
Furthermore, Orangeflu noted that languages with gender distinctions often have corresponding third-person pronouns (he/she/it), which can reduce ambiguity in sentences. For example, in the sentence "The cat was fighting with the dog and it was scared," the pronoun "it" could refer to either the cat or the dog. However, in a gendered language, using "he" or "she" would clarify which animal is being referred to, thus addressing what Orangeflu humorously termed "the gay fan fiction orgy problem."
