When we talk about the plural of people, we are referring to the whole group of individuals. But what exactly is a person? It depends on the context, but people can be any number of individuals. Nevertheless, we often speak of peoples when we want to talk about the group as a whole. Here are some examples. And remember that peoples and Persons aren’t necessarily the same. Let’s explore some common definitions of each word.
Peoples
The plurality of persons is called peoples. They are a collective, a whole. But what is a people? Here’s an explanation. Peoples are the collectives of human beings. A person is a people if they have no identifying characteristic. This definition is not exhaustive. There are many variations and there are many types of peoples. However, the most common is the American population. And, of course, we’re not talking about a single human being, but a whole collection of peoples.
The word people has two distinct Latin roots. It originally meant population, crowd, or commoners. The word entered English sometime during the 13th century, but today, it is the plural word “peoples.” This irregularity is caused by the fact that words with similar meanings were combined many times in English. In modern language, people is usually used to refer to the people of a specific nation, state, or ethnicity. Peoples is used in the context of popular sovereignty.
The word people is commonly capitalized when used as a noun. It’s most commonly used after a specific modifier, such as Native or Hispanic Peoples. Informally, peoples is commonly used as the plural of peoples. Oftentimes, it’s used in a broader sense to cover a wide range of ethnic groups. The term is part of the acronym BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and Pacific) and includes both sexes.
The plural of people and person is “peoples,” but it can also be used as a singular word. Peoples can be confused because they’re not interchangeable or synonymous. In fact, many students use the plural of people in the wrong context. Here’s how they should use them:
Although the word people is generally used as a singular noun, peoples are more common in legal and formal contexts. The plural form of people can refer to multiple individuals, ranging from 100 to eight billion people. In legal contexts, peoples can refer to multiple individuals, including groups or communities. In this way, peoples emphasize the collective of a group. In legal and formal contexts, people is the preferred noun for the phrase “group.”
Persons
“People” is an informal term for an individual, but it is commonly used in the legal system. While there are many benefits to using this word for all individuals, it does carry with it certain grammatical pitfalls. For example, the term “person” has been associated with overgeneralization and stereotyping. Therefore, using “people” as a plural in a sentence may be a good idea, but the correct use of this word is a matter of personal preference.
The plural form of people is used more commonly. People can refer to many individuals. They may be a single person or a group of people, such as a group of eight billion. People is often used in legal and formal contexts to emphasize that many individuals make up a group. In these cases, using the plural form of the word makes it clear that the group being addressed is larger than the individual. Peoples have several advantages, but they aren’t as common as they used to be.
It is most common to use peoples after a specific modifier, such as “hispanic peoples” or “indigenous peoples.” However, it’s possible to use peoples’ as a singular form of the word. For example, “peoples’ desire for a bargain” would be an example of “peoples’ choice.”
“People” is a vague concept. The term can refer to a particular group of people, the general population, or the species itself. The concept of “people” is used frequently in human rights law, international law, and constitutions, and is especially relevant to popular sovereignty. The book contains chapters that explore the concept and its limits in political practice. For example, Judith Butler calls out people who abuse freedom of assembly and address totalizing narratives.