Chapter Text
Bilbo was ashamed to say it took him nearly the entire trip to realize the glaring oddity in the Dwarrow's speech. He, a self-proclaimed scholar (of maps), had not noticed for months.
They only used masculine pronouns.
The Hobbit had thought the company was only being their rude selves when referring to the female Elves as such at Rivendell.
Even Gloin when talking lovingly of his wife had called the female 'he'. Bilbo had brushed it off as an accent.
But here in Laketown he finally caught on. When Bard had introduced them to his children, the dwarrow had called the girls 'child'. The boy had been 'boy'. Then Balin, wise, scholarly, exact Balin, had praised the eldest 'boy' for his bravery.
That's when Bilbo realized Thorin always called Fili and Kili's mother 'sibling'. Except for that one time in Thranduil's dungeon where he had said 'brother'.
The Dwarrow had no feminine pronouns or adjectives (other than mother and wife).
And Bilbo did not know what to do with that.