Speak or speaks?
Santiagazix
Would somebody be so kind to tell me what is the correct way to write the verb "to
speak" in the following sentence?:
"There are not many people who speak (speaks?) English".
Thank you in advance to all.
Arfur Million
news:9GKsc.570371$A6.22...@telenews.teleline.es...
In this sentence, "speak" is correct because the number of English speakers
is plural. If there is only one such person, you could write:
"There is only one person who speaks English."
Regards,
Arfur.
Santiagazix
"Arfur Million" <arfur_...@hotmail.com> escribió en el mensaje
news:DGNsc.147$XI5.66@newsfe2-win...
A very clear answer.
Thank you very much, Arfur.
Santiagazix
Donna Richoux
> Hello,
>
> Would somebody be so kind to tell me what is the correct way to write the
> verb "to speak" in the following sentence?:
>
> "There are not many people who speak (speaks?) English".
Speak.
It wouldn't matter if you changed the "not many" to some other term,
even "no". The verb still is "speak."
There are ________ people who speak...
Many, few, lots of, hardly any, no, a great number of, twelve -- always
"speak."
--
Best -- Donna Richoux
Adam Maass
"Santiagazix" <yci...@spain.sa> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Would somebody be so kind to tell me what is the correct way to write the
verb "to
> speak" in the following sentence?:
>
> "There are not many people who speak (speaks?) English".
>
>
"Speak" because "people" is plural. (In informal speech, it's the plural of
"person.")
-- Adam Maass
Irma
> "Speak" because "people" is plural. (In informal speech, it's the plural of
> "person.")
Hi Adam,
If I were in a conversation with friend and I said:
Many "persons" in that country speak English.
Would you take it as a mistake? The use of "people" and "persons" is a
little confusing for me.
Thanks in advanced.
Irma.
rewboss
news:85sfk3sadpgi$.1uojz43sgiw72$.dlg@40tude.net...
Judging by your e-mail address, you're German. The confusion between
"people" and "persons" is another thing Germans trip over quite regularly.
It helps to think of three (yes, three) entirely different nouns:
person (plural: people): The usual word. "People" is a number of
individuals. This is the word you will normally use. "People" in this sense
corresponds to the German "Leute", or "Menschen".
person (plural: persons): You will need to recognise this, but don't use it
yourself. This is the more "formal" word, and "persons" corresponds to the
German word "Personen" -- but we use it less often. Even so, most of the
time it is used in English, it is just a pretentious synonym for "people".
There is nearly always a better alternative: a sign reading "Persons
requiring assistance should ring the bell", for example, could be replaced
by one reading "Ring the bell for assistance".
people (plural: peoples): This is the word for a race or a culture, as in
"the various peoples of Indonesia", and corresponds to the German "Volk" or
"Volksstamm".
I would mark your sentence wrong. "Persons" is only used in a few, very
specific cases, and is just completely wrong here: totally out of register.
Simplify things for yourself. If you can't keep person(s) and people(s)
sorted out in your mind (and it is confusing), then stick to this rule:
"person", plural "people" to mean "Mensch" and "Leute" or "Menschen"
respectively. For everything else, use an alternative. In particular, just
don't ever write "persons", and you can't go far wrong. (I would recommend
persons whose native la.. er, I mean, native English speakers follow the
same principle.
--
British-born
In Germany since 1993
www.rewboss.com
Evan Kirshenbaum
For many (I'd guess most in America) of us, it's the plural of
"person" in formal speech and writing as well. There's also
"persons", but that's unlikely to be used by us in other than a few
very specific contexts (e.g., laws, contracts, and police reports) and
in fixed phrases like "missing persons" and "person or persons
unknown".
--
Evan Kirshenbaum +------------------------------------
HP Laboratories |If I am ever forced to make a
1501 Page Mill Road, 1U, MS 1141 |choice between learning and using
Palo Alto, CA 94304 |win32, or leaving the computer
|industry, let me just say it was
kirsh...@hpl.hp.com |nice knowing all of you. :-)
(650)857-7572 | Randal Schwartz
Adam Maass
Yup, definitely a mistake.
one person => many people in most cases
one person => many persons in legal and other jargon; highly formal,
stilted
one people => many peoples in anthropological jargon; almost never used
otherwise.
Others have responded to this thread better than I have.
-- Adam Maass
Irma
Hi,
I have to say that I am not German, I am Mexican. I study German from
English sites/book. So your explanation has been very useful.
Thanks a lot.
Irma.
Irma
I don't think so. Yours is also very clear.
Thanks a lot, Adam.
Irma.
Irma
> For many (I'd guess most in America) of us, it's the plural of
> "person" in formal speech and writing as well. There's also
> "persons", but that's unlikely to be used by us in other than a few
> very specific contexts (e.g., laws, contracts, and police reports) and
> in fixed phrases like "missing persons" and "person or persons
> unknown".
Thanks Evan, I did't know those phrases.
Nice site, BTW.
Irma.
Santiagazix
"Adam Maass" <adam.nos...@comcast.net> escribió en el mensaje
news:HImdnUwM-LB...@comcast.com...
Thank you very much, Adam.
Santiagazix