the use of "a people"

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jnjewel
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the use of "a people"

Post by jnjewel »

I came across a sentence, "Tha Japanese are said to be a polite people."

Is this correct? Why is "a" used in front of a plural noun?
If correct, is it still widely used, and what is the reasoning?

Thanks for your help.
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Alan
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Re: the use of "a people"

Post by Alan »

It is not a plural noun, but a cognate singular noun meaning 'race/ethnic group' (plural: peoples).
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