Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[soon0608]

i wonder if the following sentence is correct
if possible , answer my question ,adding the explanation plz.
thank you in advance.

*The Masai are a people who are continually trying to preserve their own ways in an increasingly modern world.

[2006]

It's correct.

[ad-miral]

Yeah it's correct, if you use "people" as a countable noun, then it has the meaning of "folk" or "nation"
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If I say "I love you" to someone, then I also have to say "I also love everyone else inside you, I love the whole world because of you, I also love myself inside you." -- Erich Fromm, the Art of Love

[soon0608]

The Masai means The masai tribe, and then i'm sure the Masai is singular noun.
why is it plural?
Next, a people(singular) who are..... in this case,i think a people is singular and then The Verb must be suitable for the singular number.
Why is it plural?

[2006]

The subject of the sentence is "The Masai", which is a plural term. (The Masai = The Masai people = They)
"a people" is singular, but the subject is "The Masai".
Thus, "The Masai are a people who are....".

[soon0608]

Thank you for your answering.
Have a nice day .
Thank you again.