la maggior parte delle persone

[chiara nicoletta]

E' giusto tradurre la maggior parte delle persone... con "most of people" o è meglio "most people"?
Grazie tante, Chiara

 

[You little ripper!]

E' giusto tradurre la maggior parte delle persone... con "most of people" o è meglio "most people" ?
Grazie tante, Chiara

 

[pattyfashiion]

I would use: most of the people..it sounds more natural to me...
Hope it helps...

 

[Alxmrphi]

Charles is right if you're using it in a general way, "most people don't believe in UFO's", but if you're referring to a specific thing (thus defining it) then you use the definite article "most of the people in this room are thirsty"

Most people (no article = most people in general...)
Most of the people (article = you have to refer to a specific set of people, or a specific category of people)

 

[You little ripper!]

Chiara wanted to know whether "most of people" or "most people" was the best form to use to mean "la maggior parte della gente". "Most of people" is incorrect here.

 

[Alxmrphi]

I was replying to prettyfashion.
She suggested 'most of the people' and that was different to the original 'most people' so I thought I'd explain the difference and when you would use each one.

As someone whose statement seems to be confident, people might tend to believe it a bit more so I thought it was important to explain the real difference, I didn't realise we had to restrict our answers to the post-starters.

My profound and sincere apologies.

 

[MStraf]

Chiara wanted to know whether "most of people" or "most people" was the best form to use to mean "la maggior parte della gente". "Most of people" is incorrect here.

You are quite right, but Chiara did not specify which subset of "persone" she is referring to.
For example, "la maggior parte delle persone nel mio ufficio preferisce il caffe senza zucchero" can be translated as "most of the people in my office prefer just black coffee"
Of course, if "persone" is generic I agree: "most people" "most people like their coffee with (a lot of) sugar"

 

[You little ripper!]

I was replying to prettyfashion.
She suggested 'most of the people' and that was different to the original 'most people' so I thought I'd explain the difference and when you would use each one.

As someone whose statement seems to be confident, people might tend to believe it a bit more so I thought it was important to explain the real difference, I didn't realise we had to restrict our answers to the post-starters.

My profound and sincere apologies.

Alex, I couldn't understand why you said:

Charles is right if

There is no context so we don't know how it is being used. The question was quite specific and I answered it.

You are quite right, but Chiara did not specify which subset of "persone" she is referring to.
For example, "la maggior parte delle persone nel mio ufficio preferisce il caffe senza zucchero" can be translated as "most of the people in my office prefer just black coffee"
Of course, if "persone" is generic I agree: "most people" "most people like their coffee with (a lot of) sugar"

I agree, but since we have no context the answer to Chiara's question is - "most people" is correct and "most of people" is not.

 

[Alxmrphi]

The reason why I said:

Charles is right if you're using it in a general way, "most people don't believe in UFO's", but if you're referring to a specific thing (thus defining it) then you use the definitearticle "most of the people in this room are thirsty"

Was because since prettyfashion posted, we now have two versions being called correct, the "most people".... by you......... and "most of the people"..... by prettyfashion.
So obviously a distinction of what the difference is, would have been helpful to anyone who didn't already understand the difference, so I posted an explanation of it.

As MStraf said "maggior parte delle persone" can be translated as "most of the people" (example was also provided), so I think "most of the people" is also a valid answer, that makes two natives suggesting the 'of the' version.

If the original post said "what one out of the two" and the Italian could only be translated one way into English, then fine, I'd see your point, but with two possible differences, that are used in different ways, I thought it'd be helpful to provide something.

The context Chiara was thinking of may well have only sounded good in English with "most of the people", but as you said, we just don't know, there was certainly no reason to not explain what I did.

If we revisit the question:

E' giusto tradurre la maggior parte delle persone... con "most of people" o è meglio "most people"?

There are two ways to translate it.... most of the people / most people.
You suggested one, prettyfashion suggested the other, and I attempted to provide an explanation of when you use each one of them, in English, it seems like a happy ending to the question.

 

[You little ripper!]

As MStraf said "maggior parte delle persone" can be translated as "most of the people", so you don't know and therefore can't say that "most people" is the correct answer..

Yes I can, Alex, because the question was - which of the two translates "la maggior parte delle persone" correctly, "most of people" or "most people". In the absence of context there is only one answer to that question - "most people". If Chiara had supplied context then it would be a different story.

Chiara probably now wishes she'd never asked the question.

P.S. Your edit makes things clearer.

 

[Alxmrphi]

the question was - which of the two translates "la maggior parte delle persone" correctly

Well the question I read was...

E' giusto tradurre la maggior parte delle persone... con "most of people" o è meglio "most people"?

Is it right to translate 'la maggior parte delle persone' with "most of people" or is "most people" better...

If this was to happen in any other thread in any other forum, anyone with half a helpful mind would have pointed it the answer could very well be "most of the people", maybe it was meant to be written but the word was left out, it happens when writing in a foreign language... so sometimes we have to assume, I personally think it's better to cover and make all aspects understood when it concerns two correct English forms that could have the same Italian equivalent.

The question (to me) didn't say "Which (specifically) ofthe two translates..."

Right Chiara?

 

[You little ripper!]

Well the question I read was...

Is it right to translate 'la maggior parte delle persone' with "most of people" or is "most people" better...

If this was to happen in any other thread in any other forum, anyone with half a helpful mind would have pointed it the answer could very well be "most of the people", maybe it was meant to be written but the word was left out, it happens when writing in a foreign language.

The question (to me) certainly didn't say "Which of the two translates..."
It didn't imply that it had to be one or the other.

Right Chiara?

I really don't see that there's much difference between "better" or "correctly" here because the answer to Chiara's question is still the same - "most of people" and "most people" , but I agree Alex, I don't have "half a helpful mind" (and maybe that's because I don't have half as much time as you do ) and simply answered the question. You went beyond the call of duty and I applaud you for that.

 

[Alxmrphi]

I really don't see that there's much difference between "better" or "correctly" here, but I agree Alex, I don't have "half a helpful mind" and simply answered the question. You went beyond the call of duty and I applaud you for that.

I thank you. A hero's work is never done

 

[chiara nicoletta]

Thank you very much. I really appreciate your clarifications. I didn't specify the context because in Italian we do not have the same distinction between "most of the people" and "most people" as in English. I would say: "la maggior parte dei giovani in Italia oggi frequenta l'università" and if I have correctly understoold in English it will be: "Most young people nowadays in Italy attend the University". Right?

 

[Alxmrphi]

Well, both are correct.... you using 'young' and 'in Italy' to sort of define 'what people' so

Most of the young people in Italy attend University.

But it's still a general thing, such a wide scope of people that's what makes the other one sound correct as well:

Most young people in Italy attend University.

For this context I think the second option is the better one.
*note*: the University, University