I often use the word people to mean multiple persons. However, I’ve noticed that sometimes people will laugh/smirk when I use it. For example, one time I was talking about how my sister and her family/household travel often, saying, “Those people travel a lot,” and the person repeated those people and gave a slight laugh. I’m wondering if I may be giving some sort of unintentional implied message when I use that word.

Does the word people mean anything other than multiple persons, such as a group of persons united by a common identity (family, experience, nationality, ethnicity, etc.)?

  • Admiral PatrickEnglish
    5•3 months ago

    Good question, and I’m not sure of the actual, lexicographic answer.

    All I can say is there’s typically an implicit negative connotation when using the form “those people” regardless of intent. Usually it’s used that way when stereotyping or otherwise making a blanket statement about a group, so even benign uses of the phrase tend to sound hostile.

    My guess is that “those persons” sounds more specific.

    • I'm back on my BS 🤪OPEnglish
      4•3 months ago

      All I can say is there’s typically an implicit negative connotation when using the form “those people” regardless of intent. Usually it’s used that way when stereotyping or otherwise making a blanket statement about a group, so even benign uses of the phrase tend to sound hostile.

      ohhhHHHHHhhhhh! That’s what was happening. Me and my ghetto butt had picked that term up from childhood and never realized it was considered hostile. Thanks for letting me know.