The gender of words

Have you ever thought how, when we speak about some things, how we think about them are shaped by the gender attributed to them?

Unlike English, many languages, Portuguese included, attribute a gender to inanimate objects. A study has shown that the gender attributed can effectively shape how we think about an object.

In this study, native German-speaking respondents were asked what adjectives they associate with the word for bridge (which in German is feminine), and the replies alternated between “beautiful” and “elegant”. The adjectives chosen by speakers of Spanish, where the word for bridge is masculine, included “big” and “strong”

The Traductanet brand associates words competently, reliably and rigorously. With more than 30 years’ experience in the translation market, Traductanet is today a global brand offering a wide range of multilanguage solutions. These extend from translation to interpretation, from software and website localisation to transcreation. Our clients can count on us as a partner for all their border-free communication.

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