_Sing. Nom._ Genitor Genitrix. _Gen._ Genitor-is Genitric-is. _Dat._ Genitor-i Genitric-i. _Acc._ Genitor-em Genitric-em. _Voc._ Genitor Genitrix. _Plur. Nom._ Genitor-es Genitric-es. _Gen._ Genitor-um Genitric-um. _Dat._ Genitor-ibus Genitric-ibus. _Acc._ Genitor-es Genitric-es. _Voc._ Genitor-es Genitric-es. The syllables in italics are the signs of the cases and numbers. Now those signs are the same in each word, the difference of meaning (or sex) not affecting them. § 184. Contrast, however, with the words _genitor_ and _genitrix_ the words _domina_ = _a mistress_, and _dominus_ = _a master_. _Sing. Nom._ Domin-a Domin-us. _Gen._ Domin-æ Domin-i. _Dat._ Domin-æ Domin-o. _Acc._ Domin-am Domin-um. _Voc._ Domin-a Domin-e. _Plur. Nom._ Domin-æ Domin-i. _Gen._ Domin-arum Domin-orum. _Dat._ Domin-abus Domin-is. _Acc._ Domin-as Domin-os. _Voc._ Domin-æ Domin-i. Here the letters in italics, or the signs of the cases and numbers, are different; the difference being brought about by the difference of gender. Now it is very evident that, if _genitrix_ be a specimen of gender, _domina_ is something more. § 185. It may be laid down as a sort of definition, that _there is no gender where there is no affection of the declension_: consequently, that, although we have, in English, words corresponding to _genitrix_ and _genitor_, we have no true genders until we find words corresponding to _dominus_ and _domina_. § 186. The second element in the notion of gender, although I will not venture to call it an essential one, is the following:--In the words _domina_ and _dominus_, _mistress_ and _master_, there is a _natural_ distinction of sex; the one being masculine, or male, the other feminine, or female. In the words _sword_ and _lance_ there is _no natural_ distinction of sex. Notwithstanding this, the word _hasta_, in Latin, is as much of the feminine gender as _domina_, whilst _gladius_ = _a sword_ is, like _dominus_, a masculine noun. From this we see that, in languages wherein there are true genders, a fictitious or conventional sex is attributed even to inanimate objects; in other words, _sex_ is a natural distinction, _gender_ a grammatical one. § 187. In § 185 it is written, that "although we have, in English, words corresponding to _genitrix_ and _genitor_, we have no true genders until we find _words corresponding to dominus_ and _domina_."--The sentence was intentionally worded with caution. Words like _dominus_ and _domina_, that is, words where the declension is affected by the sex, _are_ to be found _even in English_.