utc just a small note on loss of gender showing that this can indeed happen gradually some of the nordic languages have lost some of their genders while other western scandinavian have retained all eg danish has a common gender that encompasses masc and fem while neutrum remains separate in swedish some three gender remnants are still visible thus a gradual loss of gender has been seen here the gender loss is more pronounced in danish which has had a profound influence from low german which though does have three genders but the masc and femininum only distinguishable in the acussative case july