Do Any Languages Not Differentially Use Gender?

The concept of gender in languages can vary greatly, with some languages using gendered pronouns and others eschewing such distinctions entirely. Turkish, for example, famously eliminates gender for pronouns, but still uses gendered nouns. However, if we focus specifically on pronouns, a much broader range of languages fall into the category of those without gender differentiation.

Are There Languages That Use Gender-Neutral Pronouns?

The question of whether any languages use gender-neutral pronouns is a direct one with a clear and unified answer: Yes! Numerous languages around the world have evolved to use gender-neutral pronouns, particularly in more recent times. This includes English, which has seen the rise of non-binary pronouns like they/them, replacing traditional gendered pronouns like he/she.

Examples of Gender-Neutral Pronouns in Use

English: Uses non-binary pronouns like they/them/their (e.g., They like to play soccer.) for individuals who do not identify with traditional he/she pronouns.

Turkish: As mentioned, while Turkish does not differentiate gender in pronouns (using o for both she and he), it still uses gendered nouns (e.g., baban for father, annem for mother).

Hungarian: Uses non-binary pronouns like iroda (meaning "in a body") to describe a person without specifying gender.

Finnish: Uses ne as a gender-neutral pronoun (e.g., He/she is a student. Ne is a student.)

Languages Without Gendered Nouns and Pronouns

For a more extreme case, there are languages that go beyond just pronouns and do not use grammatical gender at all. These languages do not assign genders to nouns, and the concept of gender is absent in the majority of grammatical forms. Here, we look at some of the major examples:

Indo-European Languages

Contrary to the idea that all Indo-European languages use gendered grammar, many indeed do not. Some notable examples include:

Basque: This language does not assign gender to nouns, nor does it use gendered pronouns.

Finnish: While Finnish uses gendered pronouns, it does not apply to non-human nouns and does not assign gender to them.

Hungarian: Hungarian does not use grammatical gender, but it does use gendered pronouns.

Turkish: Turkish also does not use grammatical gender, but it does use gendered pronouns as mentioned earlier.

Indo-European and Non-Indo-European Languages

Beyond the Indo-European languages, many other languages do not use gender. Here are a few more examples:

Bengali: This language does not use grammatical gender, neither for nouns nor pronouns.

Turkic Languages: General Turkic languages like Turkish, Azerbaijani, and Uzbek do not use gendered nouns or pronouns.

Altaic Languages: Languages like Mongolian and Korean do not assign gender to words or nouns, but they may use different verb forms depending on the subject's sex or other factors.

Indo-Aryan Languages

When it comes to languages that have some form of gender differentiation, many Indian languages like Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, and Gujarati retain grammatical gender in nouns, adjectives, and some verb forms but do not have separate pronouns for 'he', 'she', and 'it'. These languages have developed a system that does not require gender distinction in pronouns, making them a notable exception within the broader context of gendered languages.

Conclusion

The diversity in language can be breathtakingly vast, as the examples given above demonstrate. Whether it's avoiding the use of gendered pronouns or entirely sidestepping the concept of grammatical gender, these languages serve as fascinating examples of linguistic adaptation and creativity. As society continues to evolve and recognize diverse gender identities, this aspect of linguistics is likely to remain a subject of curiosity and study for linguists and anthropologists alike.