to want to start a grammar thread with the sole intention of pointing out 'CHILDREN WHO'

[HedTwigg]

not 'children that'

arrrgghhhh

(might not even be right but its bugging me)

Bink, is that the only adjective that's gender specific? That's very odd, I knew it correctly but didn't know that I knew it IYKWIM.

Any adjective lifted from the French would operate that way, Bran.

Good question bran. If there is anything else it would I think similarly have to be a borrowing from a language which takes account of gender ... I'll get back to you.

(I feel like that schoolmaster in Molesworth: "Sir! Sir! What's a gerund?")

Except - elasticwoman - there are no doubt some French derived adjectives which are so assimilated they don't flex - I think.

Tries to come up with ideas ... Petite. No, no-one would think of applying that to a male person. Gauche - luckily you can cheat with that one. Chauvinist - doesn't get applied to women.

Anyone else? Bet there are examples from German.

Message withdrawn

You are right, Bink - it is hard to think of other French adjectives which change spelling with gender. We do have nouns from the French which are gender specific, eg chauffeur and chauffeuse. I suppose we have Grand Prix (big prize) and Grande Dame (great lady, as in 'of the theatre'), but you could argue they are borrowed expressions and not assimilated.