language

[princesabharwal]

Hi,

please let me know if the sentence mentioned below is correct"

1) Human beings are the only species who are capable of thought.

Kind Regards

Prince Sabharwal

 

[2006]

Hi,

Please let me know if the sentence [STRIKE]mentioned[/STRIKE] below is correct.


Human beings are the only species capable of thought. :tick:

I wouldn't say "who are"; if you want to add something there, I would say 'that is'.

Human beings are the only species that is capable of thought.
Kind Regards

Prince Sabharwal

2006

 

[Raymott]

Human beings are the only species that is capable of thought.

Hmm.
Homo sapiens is the only species capable of thought.
Human beings belong to the only species that is capable of thought.

'Human beings' aren't a species as such; they are members of a species, or even a genus. They are people.
Even "The human is the only species capable of thought" sounds odd, especially given that it's the genus Homo that determines hominids.
Was Homo erectus human?

 

[2006]

Human beings are the only species that is capable of thought.

Hmm.
Homo sapiens is the only species capable of thought.
Human beings belong to the only species that is capable of thought.

'Human beings' aren't a species as such; they are members of a species, or even a genus. They are people.
Even "The human is the only species capable of thought" sounds odd, especially given that it's the genus Homo that determines hominids.
Was Homo erectus human?

The sentence in the original post indicates that human beings (are)(constitute)(belong to) a species........capable of thought.
That's what we have to work with. Homo erectus is irrelevant here; we are talking about present-day people. And we are focussed on English, not on evolutionary biology and its classification.

"people" can be referred to as 'who', but the operative word is "species", which is singular, and a "species" is not a "who".

That's why I would say 'Human beings are the only species (that is) capable of thought.'

Other thoughts are welcome. :-D

 

[emsr2d2]

The sentence in the original post indicates that human beings (are)(constitute)(belong to) a species........capable of thought.
That's what we have to work with. Homo erectus is irrelevant here; we are talking about present-day people. And we are focussed on English, not on evolutionary biology and its classification.

"people" can be referred to as 'who', but the operative word is "species", which is singular, and a "species" is not a "who".

That's why I would say 'Human beings are the only species (that is) capable of thought.'

Other thoughts are welcome. :-D

"A species" is singular so it cannot be preceded by "are". You have to word it so that it says ".........is the only species".

 

[2006]

"A species" is singular so it cannot be preceded by "are". You have to word it so that it says ".........is the only species".

But the "are" refers to human beings, not to species.
The five people are a group formed to study the issue.

Dogs are a species, not a class or family.
The dog is a species, not a class or family.

Again, I am not focussing on taxonomy; I am focussing on English.