0
When to use persons as plural form of person rather than people?
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
There's lots of confusion about the best way to describe more than one person. Modern word usage suggests that it's better to speak of "4 people" rather than "4 persons", but this suggests that the plural of person is people.
Way back when, persons was the plural form of person, as in "3 persons were present". However, there's evidence from Chaucer onwards that some writers chose to use people as a plural for person, not only in the generalised sense, but also in specific countable cases (Chaucer wrote of "a thousand people"). When the usage of people was questioned, a pseudo-rule was developed that said the plural of person is persons when a specific, countable number of individuals is meant, but that people should be used when the number is large or indefinite.
Modern usage disagrees, being able to quote many examples of the use of people as the plural of person in both situations. For example: "the plane crash killed 350 people", and "Many people visit Luna Park every day". Though personssurvives, it does so largely in formal or legal contexts and seems awkward and old-fashioned. Where it survives it emphasises that each member of a group is being considered as an individual. It seems that the trend towards using people instead of persons is accelerating and that it may not be so long before persons vanishes from the language except in certain set phrases.
The plural form peoples refers to more than one community or nation. It is the accepted form in contexts such as "shaping diverse peoples into common allegiances" or when speaking of "all the peoples of the world".
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
What is a plural for seat?
'Sit' is a verb, so it does not have a plural form. The word 'sits' is not a plural, but rather, it is the present tense of the word 'sit'.
What is the plural word for hiss?
The plural of hiss is hisses, but it a word generally used as a verb rather than a noun.
What is the plural of this sentence - we get wool from sheep?
In the sentence, "We get wool from sheep.", the only plural in the sentence is "We", the first person, plural subjective pronoun that takes the place of the nouns or the plural noun for the speakers.The noun "wool" is an uncountable noun for a substance. The noun "sheep" (although both a singular and plural form) is used in this context as the type of animal (singular) rather than a number of animals.
What is the plural possessive form of the word lens?
Glasses are a plural form for glass (a drinking glass, or a lens). To indicate the plural of glasses (eyewear, a pair of eyeglasses), you would have to use the description "pairs of glasses."
What is the plural of arse?
a. That is a slang and somewhat offensive word. b. Each person has only one. c. Use your time to learn better grammar rather than poorer grammar. If 'Arse' is being used as so, "get your arses over here" then yes, it does have a plural.
How do you spell condemnees?
That is the spelling of the plural noun "condemnees." But the legal term does not mean persons condemned to die, but rather persons whose property is condemned or expropriated.
Can a persons values be set on physical appearance rather than personality?
Yes, a person can choose to only see the physical aspects of people instead of who they are. Often, this prevents the person from getting to know really great people.
If a person is straight what does that mean?
"Straight" is used regarding people in two senses. The first is that one is being honest with you, rather than being deceptive. The second is that a straight person is one who is sexually drawn exclusively to persons of the opposite sex.
What is individual communication?
When a person talks to a person or a few persons directly rather than a large group or an audience. When written, an individual communication is a letter to an individual rather than a reproduced mass mailing. This answer is an individual communication in that it is an original answer written for this question.
Is mosquitoes an irregular noun?
yes. it is a thing. definition: noun- person,place,or thing
Does a persons name need to be on the search warrant?
Unless it is a person being sought in the search, rather than items of evidence, the only names that appear on a search warrant are those of the person filing the affidavit in support of the warrant, and the judge that signed the warrant.Search warrants are usually for places, not people.
What is a plural for seat?
'Sit' is a verb, so it does not have a plural form. The word 'sits' is not a plural, but rather, it is the present tense of the word 'sit'.
A plural for beside?
Being a preposition, beside has no plural form. The word besides, meaning "also," is not a plural form, but rather an adverbial genitive.
What is the plural of man-made?
it's just man made but you use "are" rather than "is" before it for plural.
As part of the authentication process rather than proving a person is in possession of a token some systems are set to use data to validate the persons physical body?
Biometric
What is the correct grammar for they and he?
"They" is used as a pronoun for multiple people or things, while "he" is used as a pronoun for a singular male person or thing. Example: "They are going to the store" and "He is working on his homework."
What is the plural word for hiss?
The plural of hiss is hisses, but it a word generally used as a verb rather than a noun.
