 #2 (permalink) Sun Oct 05, 2008 11:30 am Usage of "troops"? |
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So you would more expect to see "A troop of 1000 Polish soldiers has been", right?
If so, we would expect the plural here to mean "many units, or more than one unit"
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On August 28 last year the Turks started their attack on the Greeks, and on September 9 Turkish troops entered Smyrna after the Greek army had left. France, Italy, and Britain on September 29 issued a note to Turkey inviting her to participate in a conference at Lausanne.
Time magazine 1923. |
And this plural to be an example of what you are referring to:
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It was impossible to tell whether the invasion would end up more like Viet Nam or more like Grenada. Some 24,000 U.S. troops had quickly taken command of most of Panama and overwhelmed organized resistance by the Panama Defense Forces, Noriega's combination army and police.
Time magazine 1990/1 |
But this example from 1923 seems like an example of the use you are questioning:
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| The discipline of the Lu army, numbering about 30,000 men, was naturally not good. Some of the troops declined to surrender except on payment of $20 apiece; others looted buildings on the docks, stole materials valued at $1,000,000. |
Seems as if it is talking about individual soldiers, doesn't it? |
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Molly
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 12 Feb 2008
Posts: 4017
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