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names of different age groups

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New2grammar  #320599  Sat, 27 Jan 07 09:32 AM

fetus (unborn) -> infant (< 1 year) -> toddler (between 1 to 2 years) -> kid (before puberty)-> teenager (after puberty but < 19 years) -> young adult (between 19 to 25 years) -> simply called adult?? ->  middle aged person( 40-60) -> senior citizens?? -> body (dead Stick out tongue [:P])

Could someone help me in verifying my understanding of names of different age groups? Where in the timeline should I fit 'adolescent', 'baby', 'child', 'grown-up'?

  
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nona the brit  #320607  Sat, 27 Jan 07 10:24 AM

There aren't really any set transition points apart from teenager, which strictly applies to all of the ages ending in 'teen' so from thirteen to nineteen. Puberty has nothing to do with it.

I'd say a child becomes a toddler when it starts to walk, before that it is a baby. Then child from about 3 or 4 years old (kid is slang) but that goes on to overlap with young teenagers. I'd say a 14 year old is both a child and a teenager. Young adult - this gets used to describe maybe 16-22 ish year olds. Adults - in theory everybody over 18, but generally the older teenagers aren't quite seen as full adults. Middle age - that's debateable! No-one likes being called middle aged so it is often 'your age+ another ten years' Smile [:)]. But personally, I'd say roughly age 45-60.  Words for 'older people' are quite difficult as some of them are seen as offensive in some way (you see how I used 'older people' - that is the UK's PC phrase now for people over 60). Senior citizens is another option (sounds a bit more American to me). 'Elderly' is a word you will hear a lot but older people hate it as it includes ideas of frailness and helplessness.

Adolescent - going through puberty (roughly) so tends to coincide a lot with teenager. Probably 12-16 or so. As soon as they start changing from 'kids' they are adolescents. Grown up - this is just a child's word for adult.

  
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New2grammar  #320855  Sun, 28 Jan 07 06:49 AM
Nona, thanks for the detailed explanation! Now, I have a good idea when to use what.
  
Philip  #321090  Sun, 28 Jan 07 07:30 PM

Age distinctions are often something like 20 and older/over or younger/under.  Currently we also hear "60 and better".

  
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