2020-05-01 用法辨析：person 和 people

内容简介

名词 “person/persons、people/peoples” 的基本含义都是 “人”，但它们之间的具体区别是什么？“Person” 和 “persons”，哪一个更加书面化？名词 “peoples” 的特殊含义是什么？看 “一分钟英语” 视频，学习分辨这四种 “人” 之间的区别。

文字稿

Dan

Hi, I’m Dan from BBC Learning English and today I’m going to talk to you about person and persons, people and peoples.

A person is a human man, woman, or child. It is a singular countable noun. There was one person at the door.

The plural of person is people. It refers to a group or a number of human beings. It is a plural countable noun. There were three people at the door.

So how about persons?

Persons is a plural countable noun. It’s similar to people, but it’s considered more polite and more formal. It’s most often seen written down. This lift can hold a maximum of 15 persons.

And peoples?

Peoples is the countable plural form of people and comes from the other meaning of people. People can mean nation. The Aztecs were a people that lived in the Americas. Or, there are many peoples living on the Earth. They are all human – so far.

用法总结

Person, persons, people and peoples

1. Person
A person is a human man, woman, or child. It is a singular countable noun. 
一个 “person” 可以是一个男人、女人或小孩，它是单数名词。

• There was one person at the door.
• When did you see this suspicious person?
• She’s a very interesting person. You should talk to her.

2. People 
The plural of person is people. It refers to a group or a number of human beings. It is a plural countable noun.
“People” 是 “person” 的复数形式，指一组人或一些人。“People” 是复数名词。

• There were three people at the door.
• How many people do you know?
• The people who live here are very rich.

3. People and peoples
People can also mean nation. Peoples is the plural form of this meaning. Peoples means nations.
“People” 也可以表示 “民族”。“Peoples” 是 “people” 表达这个意思时的复数形式。“Peoples” 的意思是 “多个民族”。

• The Aztecs were a people that lived in the Americas.
• The English are a creative people.
• There are many peoples living on the Earth.
• When the peoples of the Earth unite, we will have peace.

4. Persons
Persons is a more formal, more polite form of people. It’s a plural countable noun and is most often seen written down – such as on signs, in newspapers and in the context of the law.
“Persons” 是 “people” 更正式、更礼貌的说法。它是复数名词，多用于书面语中，比如在标语上、报纸上和法律文件中。

• This lift can hold a maximum of 15 persons.
• The police expect to catch the persons responsible for the theft.
• My client has never seen these persons before and so he is innocent.