Re: [OT] Grammatic gender

[Helge Kruse]

>> It's the same with gender - and that can also be confusing especially
>> when making a diminutive. "Die Frau" (feminine), "Das Fraulein"
>> (neuter). "Die Mad", "Das Madchen" likewise.
>
>
> Actually, the base word is „Die Maid“. Mark Twain has famously and
> hilariously roasted the German language, partly for its use of grammatic
> gender :-)

The suffix "-chen" make the words to the diminutive
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diminutive), In German this is always
neuter.
The article doesn't follow the base word but the diminutive.

Examples
der Tropfen - das Tröpfchen
die Maid - das Mädchen
der Ball - das Bällchen

Regards,
Helge