The function of the grammatical category of gender is one of the most controversial issues in linguistics. This study draws to inquire about the extent to which there is a diachronically established relationship motivated by core grammatical structure between gender and suffixation that can be described in terms of nominal quantification . According to this view, word formation by means of suffixes in New High German serves less for transposition and modification, and more for the creation of overtly marked, quantifiable nouns.