The noun is the nucleus around which the adjective, article, numeral, and adjective pronoun gravitate (move). Therefore, if the nucleus is in the masculine, its determinants will also be, since the gender and number of determinants must be in agreement with the noun.
In some moments, the noun can be represented by treatment pronouns or by words that indicate names of river, city, wine, etc. How to make the agreement between them and the adjective, since they do not have gender inflection? For these cases, the rules are specific.
1 - Treatment Pronouns
Most treatment pronouns do not admit gender inflection, that is, they do not change from feminine to masculine or vice versa. So what to do with the adjective when it is referring to the treatment pronoun? See the rule:
The rule says that the adjective when referring to the treatment pronoun must agree with the person to whom the pronoun is referring. Therefore, the context (situation), the evidence of the text and the knowledge of the world (acquired knowledge throughout life, at school or outside) will be fundamental, since gender is not marked in the pronoun. See the examples:
- Your Excellency is not satisfied with the progress of the process. (judge)
- Your Holiness is always gentle.
- Your Highness is pleased with the birth of the child. (Prince)
In examples 1 and 3, context was essential to determine agreement, as the two treatment pronouns can refer to men and women. Example 2, on the other hand, is a matter of knowledge of the world, as Your Holiness it refers to the Pope and that office can only be held by men.
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2 - Words that indicate names of rivers, cities, wines, etc.
The rule says that the adjective must agree with the gender of the word, for example, wine is a noun that will always belong to the masculine gender, so the adjective referring to it should be placed in the masculine. This will repeat in all the quoted words. Follow the examples:
- The wonderful Maceio. (the city)
- The mighty Araguaia. (the river)
- The delicious Pericó. (the wine)
Some ways to nominal agreement they seem strange because, in general, they are not used in our daily lives, however, it is not because we do not use them that they cease to exist or to be correct. Therefore, it is essential that they be studied.
By Mayra Pavan
Graduated in Letters
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
PAVAN, Mayra Gabriella de Rezende. "Nominal Concordance – Words that do not admit gender inflection"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/gramatica/concordancia-nominalpalavras-que-nao-admitem-flexao-genero.htm. Accessed on June 28, 2021.