About the word "people" in writing

[whyEric]

I am a college student from China and i want to know if people from other countries use the word "people" a lot (maybe too much) in writing, or is it only for us?

 

[tedmc]

I am a college student from China and[STRIKE] i want[/STRIKE] would like to know if people from other countries use the word "people" a lot (maybe too much) in writing, or is it only [STRIKE]for[/STRIKE] us?

Hi whyEric.

Welcome to the forum.

Yes, the word "people" is commonly used everywhere, to refer to human beings in general. It is gender-neutral, so it is preferred to just "man". What other words do you think other places would use instead of "people"?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

And how much is too much?

(Always capitalize the pronoun I.)

Welcome, Eric!

 

[whyEric]

Thank you for your reply!
In fact, the question comes from one of my English teachers,she once complained that there were too many "people" in our writings, even if there are many other ways to express the meaning of"people",such as "men","individuals","those who"......It seems that we are in favor of the word "people"
I am interested in this kind of phenomenon and for further research, i would like to know if such thing also happens in other countries(for those who learn English as their second language)?

 

[whyEric]

And how much is too much?

(Always capitalize the pronoun I.)

Welcome, Eric!

Thank you for your reply!
"Too much" is like that there are 2 or 3 "people" in one complex sentence and it is very annoying for the readers(our teachers)

 

[Tarheel]

Thank you for your reply!
In fact, the question comes from one of my English teachers. She once complained that there were too many "people" in our writings, even if there are many other ways to express the meaning of"people",such as "men","individuals","those who"......It seems that we are in favor of the word "people"
I am interested in this kind of phenomenon and for further research, i would like to know if such a thing also happens in other countries (for those who learn English as their second language)?

Two things. One, your alternatives don't work well. Two, you can say something like human beings or men, women and children, and you quickly find out why people is preferred.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Thank you for your replies!
[space]
[STRIKE]In fact,[/STRIKE] The question comes from one of my English teachers. She once complained that there were too many "people" in our writing, even if there are many other ways to express the meaning of [space] "people", [space] such as "men", [space] "individuals", [space] "those who". It seems that we are in favor of the word "people".
[space]
I am interested in this kind of phenomenon, and for further research, I would like to know if such thing also happens in other countries [space] (for those who learn English as their second language).

Any word can be overused. In English, people doesn't get more overused than any other word.

Note: Remember that men and people are not synonymous. People is gender-neutral.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Thank you for your reply!
"Too much" means there are two or three "people" in one complex sentence, and it is very annoying for the readers [space] (our teachers).

Pronouns help: they, them, their.

 

[emsr2d2]

Why don't you give us an example of such a sentence?