Persons vs People
Difference between persons and people is a topic worth looking into as persons and people are often confused due to the appearing similarity between them. Persons is a word that is formed from the word person. This word person is only used as a noun while the word people is used as a plural noun as well as a verb. Interestingly though the origins of both person and people lie in the Middle English. Peoplehood is a noun that is known as a derivative of the word people. The word person is used in a number of phrases when using English language. Some examples for such phrases are be one’s own person, in one’s own person and in person.
What does Persons mean?
The word person refers to an individual human being. A person refers to the living body of a human being. Observe the two sentences given below.
He is a cheerful person.
She is a kind person.
In both the sentences mentioned above, the usage of the word person indicates a human being or an individual. The word people cannot replace the word person in both the sentences given above. The word persons, on the other hand, can be used as the plural form of the word person and would mean individuals or human beings associated with a job or a duty as in the sentence given below.
The team that looks after the job of evaluation comprises of experienced persons.
Hence, the word person should not be used when the name of a country is used. For example, the expression ‘the persons of Australia’ is wrong. On the other hand, ‘the people of Australia’ is the correct form of expression.
What does People mean?
The word people refers to the class of persons or groups of individuals. On the other hand, the word people refers to the individuals of a land or a country as in the expressions ‘people of Australia’ or ‘people of Connecticut’. The word people is often used as a collective noun and hence it is not used in the plural form peoples. On the other hand, the word peoples is used in special cases such as ‘the peoples of India and Pakistan’. In such cases, it gives the idea of two different countries represented by their countrymen.
What is the difference between Persons and People?
• The word person refers to an individual human being whereas the word people refers to the class of persons or groups of individuals. This is the major difference between persons and people.
• A person refers to the living body of a human being.
• The word persons, on the other hand, can be used as the plural form of the word person and would mean individuals or human beings associated with a job or a duty.
• On the other hand, the word people refers to the individuals of a land or a country.
• The word people is often used as a collective noun and hence it is not used in the plural form peoples.
• On the other hand, the word peoples is used in special cases.
These are the important differences between the two words persons and people.