Words with Gender - U.S. Culture - Improve your vocabulary!

When I was growing up,

we had a mailman.

He wore a uniform,

and he drove a mail truck

to deliver our mail.

Today postal workers often go around town

in their street clothes.

We can identify them

because they're wearing an ID tag

and they're carrying mail

either in a big bag

or some official vehicle of the United States Post Office --

a truck, a van, a car.

Also, today there are plenty of women doing the job.

For that reason, we have the word "mail carrier."

"Mail carrier" can refer to a man or a woman.

There are other words like this in English.

Let's talk about these gender-neutral words,

as well as words that have remained

masculine and feminine.

Let's start with some familiar gendered nouns in English.

I'll say a masculine word.

You say the feminine equivalent.

For example, if I say man,

you say woman.

And then we'll try to think of the word or words

we can use to refer to two or more of these people together.

In the case of "man"..."woman"...

we can "people"..."adults"..."grown-ups."

Let's move on.

Do you know that word?

One spouse, or we can talk about spouses.

"Spouse" refers to someone you're married to.

Okay? What else can we do?

We'll just say, "Nephews and nieces" together.

Also, in English we only have one word

to refer to "cousin."

A "cousin" can be a boy or a girl.

How about...

Two pronunciations in American English.

Again, to refer to two or more we simply say,

"Uncles and aunts"..."aunts and uncles."

I thought of a few more.

That was easy.

How about...

...with two Es.

Here's one.

As a group we can talk about heroes.

Similarly...

Or we can talk about gods, like the ancient gods.

There were gods and goddesses.

As a group: gods.

All right. Let's move into royalty.

And their children?

As a group, we can talk about rulers or royalty.

How about...

If we talk about occupations,

jobs that people do,

it becomes a little more complicated.

On the one hand, we have job titles

for which there have always been gender neutral nouns --

words that can refer to a man or a woman.

For example...

On the other hand, there are jobs for which

we have masculine and feminine words.

And althogh these words may still be in use

in American English today,

there is a growing tendency...

a growing preference for a gender-neutral equivalent.

Here's an example.

Both words are still used,

but we also now have the word "server."

"Server" can be a man or a woman.

If we're in a restaurant

and you're sitting at the table,

I might walk up and say,

"Hello. I'm Jennifer. I'll be your server tonight."

I'm identifying myself as your server.

Here are some other ones.

Similarly...

Can you think of others?

Here's the last group of my examples.

And as a group?

Although you will hear some actresses

identify themselves as an actor.

The two words are still in use today, though.

Also, in entertainment we have...

You don't hear that one as much.

"Comedian" can actually refer to a man or a woman,

but there is definitely one noun that is gender neutral.

Someone who performs on stage by telling jokes.

All right. Let's move to the business world.

Who leads or chairs a committee?

We can talk about a "chairman"

or a "chairwoman."

But there's also that gender-neutral equivalent:

"chairperson."

How about the person who organizes a dinner party?

Or just a regular party?

It could be a host

or hostess.

"Host" can actually refer to a man or a woman,

but we definitely have a feminine equivalent.

Together...your hosts.

You definitely will use the word "host" for media.

For example, a radio talk show host.

A TV talk show host.

All right. Final one.

This is important for all of you who do traveling.

On a plane, who helps passengers?

In the past, we often talked about a stewardess

who did that job.

"Stewardesses" - plural.

There actually is an equivalent, a masculine equivalent.

But today almost always you will hear the word...

If you followed along,

you likely picked up some of the patterns.

These patterns will help you recognize and form

other nouns --

plural nouns, masculine and feminine nouns.

Let's see.

What's the feminine equivalent of "grandson"?

And what's the plural...

if we have grandsons and granddaughters together?

Now what's the feminine equivalent of "heir"?

-- Someone who inherits a fortune.

And what's the feminine equivalent of "businessman"?

And together what group do they form?

See how easy it is?

That's all for this lesson.

Thanks for watching and

happy studies!