50 persons/people are allowed...

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Tan Elaine

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Only 50 persons/people are allowed to go on this pilgrimage.

This is my own sentence. I think I should use 'persons', but is 'people' the wrong word?

Thanks.
 

5jj

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'People' is more natural; 'persons' sounds legalistic.
 

Rover_KE

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Most native English speakers go through their entire lives without feeling it necessary to use persons rather than people.

Rover

EDIT: on reflection, the marriage ceremony often still contains the words 'I call upon these persons here present. . .'
 
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sunsunmoon

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EDIT: on reflection, the marriage ceremony often still contains the words 'I call upon these persons here present. . .'


The persons can thought of as individuals, not part of a group, can't they?
 

Rover_KE

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