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[trickster]

Hi there

Not too sure where to post this question, but thought someone might be able to help / clarify.

He is a German. He is German. It seems ok to say both.

He is a Japanese. He is Japanese. The first doesn't sound quite right.

I think it may be something to do with whether we can make plurals from the noun itself e.g. German / Germans or Canadian / Candians We can't make a plural from Japanese by adding an -s. We have to add a noun such as people or person at the end.

Still, I'm think that I have seen the second example used in the media. I'm sure I've seen a tennis player being described as "a Swiss" for example.

Thoughts anyone?

[Cool Teacher]

I dont say "He's a Japanese" but many people do and its not wrong I think. I knwo it seems a bit weird and usually I say "He's a Japanese man/kid/boy/dude" etc...

But think about this one....."He's an English" Weird, right? What about this, "She's a Pole" not "She's a Polish" so sometimes it is changable, I guess

I dont think the rule is about plurals and plural forms though. But "She's Dutch" is okay, "She's a Dutch" ? "She's a Dutchess"

How about Chinese? "She's Chinese" "She's a Chinese"

I think "He's a Japanese" is okay, but not used so much.

My two yen!

[starteacher]

Done this many times before. Got to split this into 5 parts : the country (Germany) ; the adjective (German) ; the singular noun (a German), and the plural by adding "the" (e.g. the Germans) ; the language which could be many (German)

country/adjective/singular noun/ plural noun/the language

e.g.
Japan/ Japanese / a Japanese / the Japanese/Japanese.
Greece/Greek/a Greek/the Greeks/Greek
Canada/Canadian/a Canadian/the Canadians/English and French

There are many exceptions
e.g.
France / French / a Frenchman or a Frenchwoman / the French/French
Poland/Polish/a Pole/ the Poles/Polish


I think we all tend to add a noun to that singular noun form, because of the many exceptions to the basic rule, as it give us a safety zone and sorts balances the differences.
e.g "He is a Japanese man" but "He is a Japanese" is correct too
But note that there is a space in "Japanese man" and not "Japaneseman", whereas the singular noun for a person from England is Englishman or Englishwoman, not English man


So if you think of the combinations in the 5 parts, it should get you through.

[trickster]

Thanks - really helpful!

Cheers!


Trickster.