If the language has low cost to repeat words then I think the value of gender or tenses is going to be low. Thai, for example, has tones so our words tend to be

If the language has low cost to repeat words then I think the value of gender or tenses is going to be low. Thai, for example, has tones so our words tend to be shorter (more information can be packed per syllable). Languages are solving compression in different ways. Another fun example - we repeat an adjective to turn it into adverb. Since most adjectives are 1 syllable, it has the same cost as adding ‘ly’ in English.