Page:A simplified grammar of the Danish language.djvu/30

18 those ending in e, take s in the genitive; as Mand, e. g., 'man,' gen. Mands; Barn, n., 'child,' gen. Barns; Konerne, pl. 'the women,' gen. Konernes.

Nouns ending in s, ks (x), and in vowels, excepting e, take es in the genitive; as, Hus, n., 'house,' gen. Huses; By, e. g., 'town,' gen. Byes; Bro, e. g., 'bridge,' gen. Broes.

Although the common gender includes generally all words designating living beings,—as en Person, 'a person;' en Sanger, 'a singer;' en Hest, 'a horse,'—certain words which indicate a special class of beings without reference to sex are exceptions to this rule; as, Barn, 'a child;' Væsen, 'a creature;' Kvæg, n., 'cattle.'

The words Mandfolk, 'a male,' Fruentimmer, 'a female,' are neuter.

To the common gender belong, generally, the names of trees and flowers, and of special products of the vegetable world; as, en Bög, 'a beech;' en Rose, 'a rose;' en Blomme, 'a plum;' Te, e.g., 'tea;' Vin, e. g., 'wine;' Terpentin, e. g., 'turpentine.'

Definitions of distinct kinds, or parts, of plants are neuter; as, Træ, 'tree;' Blad, 'leaf;' Græs, 'grass;' Korn, 'corn.'

Words ending in e, de, hed, skab, dom, when they imply conditions and properties, are generally of the common gender; as, Varme, 'heat;' Höjde, 'height;' Dumhed, 'stupidity;' Ondskab, 'wickedness;' Manddom, 'manhood.' To the same gender belong, generally, words ending in ning, else, sel, st, en when they indicate some action, or active