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> One of the Twain's famous examples that language is full of exceptions and hard to learn is that the word for girl is neuter. This is logical: "Mädchen" is
by q-big 5y ago
>
One of the Twain's famous examples that language is full of exceptions and hard to learn is that the word for girl is neuter.
This is logical: "Mädchen" is a diminutive (as the prefix -chen shows). Diminutives are always neuter.
"Mäd[g]dchen" thus simply means "little maid [Magd: maid]".