NOTES ON REQUIRED READINGS IN “THE CHAUTAUQUAN.”
HOW ENGLISH DIFFERS FROM OTHER LANGUAGES.
[1.] Perhaps this absurdity, and the complications it involves, may be better illustrated by the following few lines from one of DeBertrand’s novels. (They might be found in a dozen others.)
“Madame,” dit il, “il y a là une [feminine] personne qui demand M. le Baron.”
“Quelle [feminine] est cette [feminine] personne?”
“C’est un [masculine] monsieur,” etc.[I]
Thus, it will be seen, both feminine and masculine articles must be used to designate the same object; and a person must be spoken of as feminine, although the person is a man; the reason being that personne, the word, is feminine.—Richard Grant White.
[I] “Madame,” said he, “there is a person without who asks for the Baron.”
“Who is this person?”