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I'm baffled by persons



 
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ESL Forums | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
Usage of "switch on" | I'm saddened to see a president employ these kind of tactics
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I'm baffled by persons Fri Mar 21, 2008 19:18 pm  I'm baffled by persons
 

"I'v e heard of person or persons unknown" as a phrase but more and more people are saying "persons", when I think they mean "people". Is there some rule when to use persons and when to use people, like if you are more than two or three perhaps. Thanks in advance, Belles
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I'm baffled by persons Sat Mar 22, 2008 11:23 am  I'm baffled by persons
 

There's no rule as to when to say "people" and when to say "persons", but I'd say that you can use "persons" in an official homicide report, but that you should use "people" everywhere else.

Here is what the Oxford American Dictionary says about it:

Quote:
The words people and persons can both be used as the plural of person, but they are not used in exactly the same way. People is by far the more common of the two words and is used in most ordinary contexts: : a group of people ;: there were only about ten people ;: several thousand people have been rehoused. Persons, on the other hand, tends now to be restricted to official or formal contexts, as in : this vehicle is authorized to carry twenty persons ;: no persons admitted without a pass. In some contexts, persons, by pointing to the individual, may sound less friendly than people:: the number should not be disclosed to any unauthorized persons.

I would add that there are people who abuse the word "persons" in ordinary speech to make themselves sound important. These are people who also use the word "myself" instead of "I" or "me" and say "at this particular point in time" instead of saying "right now".
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I'm baffled by persons Sat Mar 22, 2008 11:34 am  I'm baffled by persons
 

Hi,

Another thought on the word 'person' It can be used also in a jocular way as in: Who is this person you keep talking about? Are we ever going to meet with reference to someone who is talked about a lot. It can also be used in a derogatory or slightly snobbish way as in: There is a person to see you, Sir. He calls himself Smith

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I'm baffled by persons Sun Mar 23, 2008 19:48 pm  I'm baffled by persons
 

Thanks Jamie for the Oxford dictionary quote, it was very enlightening and your remarks cleared up a baffling point for me. Alan as always your remarks are relevent to the times. -Belles
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