The syllables in italics are the signs of the cases and numbers. Now these signs are the same in each word, the difference of meaning (or sex) not affecting them.
[§ 274]. Contrast, however, with the words genitor and genitrix the words domina=a mistress, and dominus=a master.
| Sing. | Nom. | Domin-a | Domin-us. |
| Gen. | Domin-æ | Domin-i. | |
| Dat. | Domin-æ | Domin-o. | |
| Acc. | Domin-am | Domin-um. | |
| Voc. | Domin-a | Domin-e. | |
| Plur. | Nom. | Domin-æ | Domin-i. |
| Gen. | Domin-arum | Domin-orum. | |
| Dat. | Domin-abus | Domin-is. | |
| Acc. | Domin-as | Domin-os. | |
| Voc. | Domin-æ | Domin-i. |
Here the letters in italics, or the signs of the cases and numbers, are different, the difference being brought about by the difference of gender. Now it is very evident that, if genitrix be a specimen of gender, domina is something more.
As terms, to be useful, must be limited, it may be laid down, as a sort of definition, that there is no gender where there is no affection of the declension: consequently, that, although we have, in English, words corresponding to genitrix and genitor, we have no true genders until we find words corresponding to dominus and domina.
[§ 275]. The second element in the notion of gender, although I will not venture to call it an essential one, is the following:—In the words domina and dominus, mistress and master, there is a natural distinction of sex; the one being masculine, or male, the other feminine, or female. In the words sword and lance there is no natural distinction of sex. Notwithstanding this, the word hasta, in Latin, is as much a feminine gender as domina, whilst gladius=a sword is, like dominus, a masculine noun. From this we see that, in languages wherein there are true genders, a fictitious or conventional sex is attributed even to inanimate objects. Sex is a natural distinction, gender a grammatical one.
[§ 276]. "Although we have, in English, words corresponding to genitrix and genitor, we have no true genders until we find words corresponding to dominus and domina."—The sentence was intentionally worded with caution. Words like dominus and domina, that is, words where the declension is affected by the sex, are to be found.
The pronoun him, from the Anglo-Saxon and English he, as compared with the pronoun her, from the Anglo-Saxon heò, is affected in its declension by the difference of sex, and is a true, though fragmentary, specimen of gender: for be it observed, that as both words are in the same case and number, the difference in form must be referred to a difference of sex expressed by gender. The same is the case with the form his as compared with her.
The pronoun it (originally hit), as compared with he, is a specimen of gender.