2表示“民族”,此時為可數(shù)名詞,其前可用不定冠詞,也可有復數(shù)形式。如:
The Chinese are a hard-working people. 中國人是一個勤勞的民族。
The English-speaking peoples share a common language. 講英語的各民族擁有共同的語言。
比較下面兩句:
How many peoples live in Asia? 亞洲有多少個民族?
How many people live in the room? 這房間住了多少人?
3. 泛指“人們”時,其前不用定冠詞;泛指“人民”時,其前通常要用定冠詞。如:
People say oil prices will be going up soon. 人們說油價快要上漲了。
The people turned against their president. 人民變得不滿意他們的總統(tǒng)。
即使其后受到限制性定語的修飾,也不一定就必須要帶定冠詞:如果表特指,其前用定冠詞,如果意義較泛,其前仍不用定冠詞。如:
The people who work next door are architects. 在隔壁工作的那些人是建筑師。
People who are waiting for the bus often shelter in my doorway. 等公共汽車的人們常常在我家門口躲風避雨。