Blue-eyed Smiler Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
a people
Living among mountains, they are a hardy people. Why should we put "a" in the sentence?
Should the indefinite article here signify that it is a nation as a whole?
Should the indefinite article here signify that it is a nation as a whole?
Top answer
Yes, "a people" means a tribe, a race, or a nation. Most of the time "people" just means some group of individuals. People in China drink tea.
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Yes, "a people" means a tribe, a race, or a nation. Most of the time "people" just means some group of individuals.
People in China drink tea.
Sometime "the" is used, as in the constitution of the United States -
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, "
People in China drink tea.
Sometime "the" is used, as in the constitution of the United States -
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, "
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That is what I thought then. So, the is used in formal situations, official documents like proclamations and so on??
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You can use it in informal situations as well.
My people came from the north. (meaning my ancestors, the tribe I belong to)
My people came from the north. (meaning my ancestors, the tribe I belong to)
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Sure we can. However, what about the with people? As there was an example before.
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There's not a lot of difference in say ing "People in New York City are nice, in spite of what you may have heard" and "The people in NYC are nice..."
Maybe you could write a few examples to see if you have a sense for when to use "a" or "the" or nothing at all.
(Don't use the original phrasing of the Preamble to the Constitution as an example of current writing, however lovely i
Maybe you could write a few examples to see if you have a sense for when to use "a" or "the" or nothing at all.
(Don't use the original phrasing of the Preamble to the Constitution as an example of current writing, however lovely i
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