Final answer:
Most First Declension nouns in Latin are feminine, characterized by an '-a' ending. Masculine forms sometimes use endings like -er or -or. Contemporary English is moving towards more inclusive language practices, like using 'they' as a gender-neutral pronoun.
Step-by-step explanation:
Most First Declension nouns in Latin are of the feminine gender. In Latin, nouns are categorized into declensions, which are groups of nouns that share the same pattern of inflection. The First Declension is typically characterized by an '-a' ending in the nominative singular, and these are predominantly feminine nouns.
There are some exceptions with certain professions, locations, and words borrowed from Greek that are masculine, despite taking the First Declension endings. Examples of First Declension are words like poetă, meaning 'poetess', and agricolă, meaning 'farmer' (female).
However, to denote the masculine forms, Latin sometimes uses different mechanisms, such as the addition of -er or -or to the stem for masculine nouns, as seen in sorcerer from the base stem of sorcer. Gender bias in language is less prominent today than it was in the past, and there is a movement towards more gender-neutral language. Some nouns that end in '-ess' are seen as potentially offensive and are falling out of use.
In the context of societal and language change, even though Latin relied on gendered nouns, contemporary English is evolving. For instance, the pronoun 'they' is increasingly used as a single, gender-neutral alternative to 'he' or 'she', reflecting a shift towards gender inclusivity in language.