infrequentale (family possession) 144: an asymmetric gender system, with genders distinguished in singular but not in plural, but a few words that do show a gender contrast in the plural, agreeing with nouns depending on their singular gender: the numerals ‘two’ and perhaps ‘three’, and the quantifier ‘both’
Where found
older West Germanic languages (Indo-European)
Domain
morphology, syntax
Subdomain
agreement
Keywords
gender, number, numerals
Type
infrequentale (family possession)
Universals violated
Source
Grimm, Jacob (1856). Über die zusammengesetzten zahlen. Germania 1: 18-33. and grammars of relevant lgs
e.g., Old English twegen MASC,twa FEM, twa/tu NEUTER as well as resolution gender ‘two’ begen, ba, ba/bu ‘both’ πrie, πreo, πrie ‘three’ German, up to 18th century: zween MASC, zwo FEM, zwei NEUT ‘two’
North Germanic and Gothic are similar (in Icelandic the pattern still survives, also including ‘four’); but here gender is less asymmetric, with gender distinctions also found in plural.
e.g., Old English
twegen MASC,twa FEM, twa/tu NEUTER as well as resolution gender ‘two’
begen, ba, ba/bu ‘both’
πrie, πreo, πrie ‘three’
German, up to 18th century:
zween MASC, zwo FEM, zwei NEUT ‘two’
North Germanic and Gothic are similar (in Icelandic the pattern still survives, also including ‘four’); but here gender is less asymmetric, with gender distinctions also found in plural.