Re: ,Language' in language name?

Andreas Johansson scripsit:

> In school I was thought that nouns in -ese have a zero plural marking, so
> "one Japanese", "two Japanese" is correct. Native speakers don't feel this?
The use of -ese nouns to refer to persons is mildly archaic.  Seventy years ago
or so, Ogden Nash (American comic poet) could still write "How very polite is
the Japanese/He always says 'Excuse it, please'", but that seems bizarre now.
Nowadays, "Japanese" without "the" refers to the Japanese language, and "the
Japanese", with the article, refers to the people of Japan considered
collectively.  Neither of these uses can be pluralized, of course.

And using "English" as a individual personal noun is and has always been
impossible; one must say "person from England" or "English-speaking person"
as the case may be.  (Except in a restaurant, where Americans can order
"two English", meaning English muffins!  Here, of course, there is no plural
marker because the noun has been elided.)

--
John Cowan           http://www.ccil.org/~cowan              cowan@ccil.org
Please leave your values        |       Check your assumptions.  In fact,
   at the front desk.           |          check your assumptions at the door.
     --sign in Paris hotel      |            --Miles Vorkosigan