How did the creators of the spanish language decide on what nouns were to be masculine or feminine?

Question

Spanish language creation process decisions on noun sex.

• I often wonder the same thing. : ) - Jeanne_Marie Nov 19, 2009
• :-D 'noun gender'. ;-) - chaparrito Nov 19, 2009

Answer 1

Part of the answer is that the masculinity/feminity of many nouns were already decided in Latin. Most Spanish words share the same gender as their Latin counterparts.

Answer 2

Not 100% sure, but my Spanish teacher told me the way anyone tells if something is M or F is to look at the meaning of the word. That is the best she gave me. So Im guessing if el is in front of a noun it is masculine, and la for feminine.

Not sure this helps. But its better than nothing

• That's just not possible.There are too many words that pertain only to women are msculine, and vice-versa. - Goyo Nov 19, 2009
• It`s true.... example Teacher for Profes and Profesora... :D - EdiOswaldo Nov 19, 2009
• its not talking about just the sex of a person, you have to tell how it is used in a sentence to determind if it is M or F, like how do you know that la ofica is la and not el, well because how many office's is it talking about one so it singlar and fem - blevans Feb 4, 2010
• to be mas. it would have to be the office, it would have to have extra info. to it since it is just ofica its la because its not THE office its a office - blevans Feb 4, 2010

Answer 3

I've been wondering why "el arbol" {tree} and "la madera" {wood} seem to be a contradiction.

• Yes, because "el árbol" and don`t "la árbol" ;) - EdiOswaldo Nov 19, 2009

Answer 4

How did the creators of the spanish languag...

I think the word 'creators' actually answers the question, indirectly. No one really creates languages. They change and evolve with time, influenced by events in history; exposure or isolation. No one person or even group of persons can make official and binding decisions about how a language is used.

Languages do have rules or laws, which can be published and taught, but these are simply inherent.

Here's an interesting comment by Samdie (link) that he made regarding the word Idioma.

• I disagree. Many languages originate within a small group who have the power to create and change accordingly. I think your use of the word "isolation" speaks for itself. - coma Nov 22, 2009
• What you suggest in sentence four is absurd. We would not have modern structered languages without an agreeable group of people whom decide on all basic fundementals.I agree that all things evolve with time. - coma Nov 22, 2009

Answer 5

Muy interesante pero igual aqui también tenemos o más bien tengo una duda algunos dicen "el color" y otros dicen "la color", aunque color es Másculino, investigaré más en la RAE(Real Académia de la Lengua Española)