Why do we say 'Un seul M' and not 'Une seule M' even though M is a “consonne”












2















when spelling names, for example 'Bram'.



to precise that there's only one M at the end I hear french people 'Avec un seul M a la fin'.



but 'M est une consonne' therefore 'un nom feminin'.



so why is that ?










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  • 2





    M is une consonne.

    – jlliagre
    4 hours ago











  • La question est excellente.

    – Survenant9r7
    1 hour ago
















2















when spelling names, for example 'Bram'.



to precise that there's only one M at the end I hear french people 'Avec un seul M a la fin'.



but 'M est une consonne' therefore 'un nom feminin'.



so why is that ?










share|improve this question









New contributor




rapidracim is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
















  • 2





    M is une consonne.

    – jlliagre
    4 hours ago











  • La question est excellente.

    – Survenant9r7
    1 hour ago














2












2








2








when spelling names, for example 'Bram'.



to precise that there's only one M at the end I hear french people 'Avec un seul M a la fin'.



but 'M est une consonne' therefore 'un nom feminin'.



so why is that ?










share|improve this question









New contributor




rapidracim is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.












when spelling names, for example 'Bram'.



to precise that there's only one M at the end I hear french people 'Avec un seul M a la fin'.



but 'M est une consonne' therefore 'un nom feminin'.



so why is that ?







grammaire






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edited 1 hour ago









qoba

5,168516




5,168516






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asked 4 hours ago









rapidracimrapidracim

1112




1112




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rapidracim is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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  • 2





    M is une consonne.

    – jlliagre
    4 hours ago











  • La question est excellente.

    – Survenant9r7
    1 hour ago














  • 2





    M is une consonne.

    – jlliagre
    4 hours ago











  • La question est excellente.

    – Survenant9r7
    1 hour ago








2




2





M is une consonne.

– jlliagre
4 hours ago





M is une consonne.

– jlliagre
4 hours ago













La question est excellente.

– Survenant9r7
1 hour ago





La question est excellente.

– Survenant9r7
1 hour ago










1 Answer
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The gender of letters is masculine nowadays but that wasn't always the case for some consonants, including m.




Rem. Les noms désignant les lettres f, h, l, m, n, r, s sont traditionnellement féminins (il s'agit des noms en -e : effe, ache, elle, emme, enne, erre, esse, d'apr. la transcr. orth. ds Lar. 20e). On commence par attribuer le genre masc. à la désignation de la lettre par la valeur : un fe, effe restant lui fém. (Ac. jusque Ac. 1878, Littré, DG). Ac. 1932 admet pour effe les 2 genres; v. aussi Rob. La 1re attribution du genre masc. à effe ds Nouv. Lar. ill. 1897.







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    1 Answer
    1






    active

    oldest

    votes








    1 Answer
    1






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

    oldest

    votes






    active

    oldest

    votes









    3














    The gender of letters is masculine nowadays but that wasn't always the case for some consonants, including m.




    Rem. Les noms désignant les lettres f, h, l, m, n, r, s sont traditionnellement féminins (il s'agit des noms en -e : effe, ache, elle, emme, enne, erre, esse, d'apr. la transcr. orth. ds Lar. 20e). On commence par attribuer le genre masc. à la désignation de la lettre par la valeur : un fe, effe restant lui fém. (Ac. jusque Ac. 1878, Littré, DG). Ac. 1932 admet pour effe les 2 genres; v. aussi Rob. La 1re attribution du genre masc. à effe ds Nouv. Lar. ill. 1897.







    share|improve this answer




























      3














      The gender of letters is masculine nowadays but that wasn't always the case for some consonants, including m.




      Rem. Les noms désignant les lettres f, h, l, m, n, r, s sont traditionnellement féminins (il s'agit des noms en -e : effe, ache, elle, emme, enne, erre, esse, d'apr. la transcr. orth. ds Lar. 20e). On commence par attribuer le genre masc. à la désignation de la lettre par la valeur : un fe, effe restant lui fém. (Ac. jusque Ac. 1878, Littré, DG). Ac. 1932 admet pour effe les 2 genres; v. aussi Rob. La 1re attribution du genre masc. à effe ds Nouv. Lar. ill. 1897.







      share|improve this answer


























        3












        3








        3







        The gender of letters is masculine nowadays but that wasn't always the case for some consonants, including m.




        Rem. Les noms désignant les lettres f, h, l, m, n, r, s sont traditionnellement féminins (il s'agit des noms en -e : effe, ache, elle, emme, enne, erre, esse, d'apr. la transcr. orth. ds Lar. 20e). On commence par attribuer le genre masc. à la désignation de la lettre par la valeur : un fe, effe restant lui fém. (Ac. jusque Ac. 1878, Littré, DG). Ac. 1932 admet pour effe les 2 genres; v. aussi Rob. La 1re attribution du genre masc. à effe ds Nouv. Lar. ill. 1897.







        share|improve this answer













        The gender of letters is masculine nowadays but that wasn't always the case for some consonants, including m.




        Rem. Les noms désignant les lettres f, h, l, m, n, r, s sont traditionnellement féminins (il s'agit des noms en -e : effe, ache, elle, emme, enne, erre, esse, d'apr. la transcr. orth. ds Lar. 20e). On commence par attribuer le genre masc. à la désignation de la lettre par la valeur : un fe, effe restant lui fém. (Ac. jusque Ac. 1878, Littré, DG). Ac. 1932 admet pour effe les 2 genres; v. aussi Rob. La 1re attribution du genre masc. à effe ds Nouv. Lar. ill. 1897.








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        answered 4 hours ago









        jlliagrejlliagre

        66.2k244103




        66.2k244103






















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