See also feminine nouns in s which are used in the N. B. All nouns ending in ez, and denoting qualities in the abstract, are feminine; as, estrechez, narrowness; palidez, paleness. and all those nouns which by their meaning denote males; as, Jesuita, Jesuit; anacoreta, anchorite; anabaptista, anabaptist, &c. N. B. Although gloria is feminine, its compounds, as, gloria patri, gloria in excelsis, &c. are masculine. and all the augmentative nouns which end in ion. In addition to masculine and feminine nouns, there are two other species called epicene and common nouns; the first comprehends those nouns which, without varying the article, denote either the masculine or feminine of a class; as, el raton, the he or she mouse; la rata, the he or she rat; el pato, the duck or drake. To distinguish them, it is necessary to add some word descriptive of the sex; as, el raton hembra, the she mouse; la rata macho, the he rat. Common nouns are those which vary the article to show the distinction of genders; as, el testigo, the male witness; la testigo, the female witness; el homicida, the homicide (man); la homicida, the homicide (woman) ; &c. *In the plural it is almost always feminine; as, el arte diabolico, or el arte diabolica, the diabolic art; las artes mecanicas, mechanic arts. When synonymous with command it is feminine. All the compounds of mar, as, baxamar, &c. are feminine. Use of the Definite Article. RULE 7. Nouns taken in a definite sense require the article; as El hombre viene, The man is coming. Las virtudes de los santos, The virtues of the saints. RULE S. Nouns used in their most general sense are preceded by the article; as El hombre peca, Man sins. La virtud es amable, Virtue is amiable. RULE 9. Names of empires, kingdoms, countries, provinces, mountains, rivers, winds, and seasons, generally take the article; as La Alemania, El Parnaso, El Otoño, Germany. England. Parnassus. Autumn. Note a.-Empires, kingdoms, countries, and provinces, when pre ceded by a preposition, are not unless they are personified; as El clima de Inglaterra, Los esfuerzos de la Inglaterra, usually found with the article, The climate of England. The efforts of England. Note b.-Kingdoms bearing the same name as their capital do not admit the article; as, Nápoles, Naples. Note c.-Custom has assigned the article under all circumstances to the names of some distant empires, &c.; as, las casas del Japon, the houses of Japan; las calles de la China, the streets of China. RULE 10. Nouns of measure, weight, &c. when preceded by the indefinite article in English, as an equivalent to each, require the article; as Cinco duros la vara, Five dollars a yard. Note a.-If the preposition por be used, we omit the article; as; cinco duros por vara, five dollars per yard; dos reales por libra, two rials per pound. Note b.-It is to be observed, that whenever in similar instances the indefinite article may be changed into the numeral adjective in English, it is to be expressed by the same adjective in Spanish; as He sold a pound for fourpence the first day, and the following day twenty pounds at eight pence a pound. Vendió una libra por quatro peniques el primer dia, y el dia siguiente veinte libras á ocho peniques la libra. RULE 11. Señor, señora, señorito, señorita, when used in the third person of both numbers, require the article; as El señor Don Juan, El señor Pacheco, Mr. John. La señora Doña Catalina Gomez, Mrs. Catherine Gomez. Miss Perez. La señorita Perez, Note a.-Don and Doña must be placed immediately before baptismal names, but cannot be preceded by the article nor used in the plural: as, Don Juan; Doña Maria; los señores Don Juan Romero y Don Luis Gomez.* Note b.-When a common noun is immediately placed before the proper name of an individual, (to denote his dignity, profession, &c.) it is generally preceded by the article; as, El rey Jorge, King George; Y me envió al Doctor Godinez, And he sent me to Doctor Godinez; Llámome el Capitan Rolando, I am called Captain Ro.. lando except Santo; as Santo Tomas, Saint Thomas. RULE 12. Numerals, when denoting either the day of the month or the hour of the day, generally take the article; as El seis de Enero, El catorce de Mayo, La una, Las onze, Las tres y quarto, Las ocho menos quarto, Las diez menos veinte minutos, The sixth of January. ten. RULE 13. The article is generally repeated be fore every noun enumerated, especially if they differ in gender; as la Caridad, Faith, Hope, and Charity. The days and nights. * See page 133. |