Why do legal documents use persons instead of people?

The term persons is used in legal documents instead of the word people. There is a good reason for this. In legal terminology, the word person isn’t limited to human beings. It also includes “a non-human entity that is treated as a person for limited legal purposes,” such as a corporation or other type of business.

Can you say persons?

Persons. The noun person has two plurals: persons and people. Most people don’t use persons, but the sticklers say there are times when we should.

Can you use persons as plural?

So basically, both person and people can be used as singular nouns, people can be used as a plural noun and persons and peoples are also acceptable plural forms. I would say that these days, using people as a singular noun and both peoples and persons are fairly uncommon and do sound quite formal.

What is the plural form of people?

Answer. The noun people can be countable or uncountable. In more general, commonly used, contexts, the plural form will also be people. However, in more specific contexts, the plural form can also be peoples e.g. in reference to various types of peoples or a collection of peoples. Find more words!

How do you use persons correctly?

Many usage guides over the years have suggested that there is a clear distinction between these two words; people is used when referring to a collective group or indeterminate number, and persons serves better when referring to individuals (or a number of individuals).

Is it correct to say all persons?

“Persons” as Plurals. Person and people both derive from Latin, but from different words. That practice did not become standard, and nowadays, the plural persons is only considered correct in legal contexts and, occasionally, when deliberately referring to humans individually rather than collectively.

Can I say 2 persons?

Both are correct, in the right context. Quite often , when making a booking, a hotel receptionist will ask you how many persons will be staying; and you would reply accordingly- two persons in single rooms or two persons in a double room .

What is the difference between people’s and peoples?

The word “peoples” is a plural noun meaning one or more groups who are ethnically and culturally related, usually to compare them. “People’s” is the possessive form of the whole human group (like “mankind”) or of a collective group as in my description of the usage above.

Can you say two persons?

How do you use persons?

Can we say 100 people?

100 person is the most popular phrase on the web.

Can you say 4 persons?

The plural of person is not people, it is persons. You could say “Starter for 4 persons” or “Starter for 4 people”, although in the context of a restaurant menu, it would (in my opinion) be slightly less awkward-sounding to use persons rather than people. The word people is more of a collective.

Is it correct to say people or people?

Most of the time, people is the correct word to choose as a plural for person. Persons is archaic, and it is safe to avoid using it, except in legal writing, which has its own traditional language. Peoples is only necessary when you refer to distinct ethnic groups (for example, within the same region).

Is it OK to use persons in a sentence?

Persons is archaic, and it is safe to avoid using it, except in legal writing, which has its own traditional language. Peoples is only necessary when you refer to distinct ethnic groups (for example, within the same region). Here’s a tip: Want to make sure your writing always looks great?

When should we use “person”?

Most people don’t use persons, but the sticklers say there are times when we should. “When we say persons ,” says Wilson Follett’s Modern American Usage, “we are thinking, or ought to be, of ones —individuals with identities; whereas when we say people we should mean a large group, an indefinite and anonymous mass.”

What’s the difference between People vs People vs peoples?

Real-time suggestions, wherever you write. Persons vs. People vs. Peoples—What’s the Difference? Most of the time, people is the correct word to choose as a plural for person. Persons is archaic, and it is safe to avoid using it, except in legal writing, which has its own traditional language.