I’m a people person

Add comment May 9th, 2008

I’ve been using The Associated Press Stylebook for 35 years, so I’m accustomed to “people,” not “persons,” as the plural of “person.”

Webster’s supports this stance while explaining that “people” was formerly used “only to indicate an indefinite number of persons.” Such a distinction is now usually considered pedantic, although it still does the job in references to “missing persons reports” and the like.

Of course, “people” also can be singular, as a collective, and in that sense “peoples” is the plural.

“The people of Africa” refers to everyone on the continent.

“The peoples of Africa” refers to the various groups of people who share a language and similar customs.