Motivations for grammatical gender change from Latin to Portuguese

Abstract

This work analyzes cases of grammatical gender change in the passage from Latin to Portuguese in lexical groups linked to objects (stones, plants, fruits, metals), paying attention to the predominant motivations behind each case. The results show that there is both systemic (morphophonological) and social motivation (social stereotypes that associate these objects with masculine or feminine). In the groups of precious gems and ornamental plants, there is a predominance of maintenance or change to the female gender. In the case of raw metals, there is a predominance of maintenance or change to the masculine gender.