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Avid learner Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Adjective as reference to people

Hi,

I know that I can use words such as "poor" and "strong" as a reference to a group of people, e.g.: "The poor receive alms today " and "The strong will prevail in the end".
I wonder, can I use the words "smart", "wise", and "haughty" in the same manner?
E.g.:
1. The smart will be granted scholarships.
2. The wise maintain their silence for now.
3. The haughty are hated by the community.

And, if I can't, please suggest the appropiate words.

Thanks, A.L.
  

Top answer

avid learner I wonder, can I use the words "smart", "wise", and "haughty" in the same manner? Some of those do not sound good. The technique is effective if used sparingly and for the most part with those forms that are already engrained in the language : the old, the young, the rich, the poor, the strong, the weak, the wise, the foolish.

— Mister Micawber

  • avid learner I wonder, can I use the words "smart", "wise", and "haughty" in the same manner?
  • Some of those do not sound good.
  • The technique is effective if used sparingly and for the most part with those forms that are already engrained in the language : the old, the young, the rich, the poor, the strong, the weak, the wise, the foolish.
  • Even 'the tired' sounds exceedingly odd away from the Statue of Liberty.
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3 Answers
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avid learnerI wonder, can I use the words "smart", "wise", and "haughty" in the same manner?
Some of those do not sound good. The technique is effective if used sparingly and for the most part with those forms that are already engrained in the language: the old, the young, the rich, the poor, the strong, the weak, the wise, the foolish. Even 'the tired
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"Some of those do not sound good"

But, are they still grammatically correct and intelligible?
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