On Sat, 3 Nov 2001 21:29:37 -0800 (PST), george knysh
<
gknysh@...> wrote:
>*****GK: Is the gender reality distinction as between
>AIE and NAIE unique in the world's linguistic systems,
>i.e. are there other language families which exhibit a
>similar innovation as to gender awareness in some
>members of the family only as does IE?*****
"Gender in Proto-Dravidian characterises the qualitative aspects of
the participants in the narrated event, distinguishing primarily
between human (or animate) and non-human (inanimate) nouns. [...]
Although many daughter languages further divide animate nouns into
masculine and feminine genders, it is not yet clear whether and to
what extent such a division existed in the proto-language ..."
(Sanford B. Steever, "The Dravidian Languages").
=======================
Miguel Carrasquer Vidal
mcv@...