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For me, the OP's use of the word "child" to describe a 19-year-old seems to bolster your point. If a parent automatically uses that word (rather than the more a
by gpjt 2y ago
For me, the OP's use of the word "child" to describe a 19-year-old seems to bolster your point. If a parent automatically uses that word (rather than the more age-neutral "son" or something similar) it makes me think they're infantilising the person in question.
- elefanten 2y agoFair point, though the post is written in gender neutral language, perhaps to shield privacy. In that context, “child” is probably the most natural word to use?
- aeonik 2y agoOffspring is the word I would use. I use the word Spawn in casual settings though.
- jay_kyburz 2y agoI had a similar reaction, but on reflection, I think if I were trying to describe my relationship with adults I am a parent of, I would still have to describe them as children.
- theGnuMe 2y agoAdult children is the vernacular.
- Daviey 2y agoAnd the inverse is? I don't think I agree that this is common language. The simple form of relationship is "our children" or "my parents", clarifying the age bracket isn't normally used. I say this as someone with 2 children, one is 19. In some contexts I may describe my parents as "my elderly parents", but only if the age context is relevant.
- dgfitz 2y ago> And the inverse is? Infant? Toddler? Young child? Tween? Teenager? Really?
- Daviey 2y agoInverse means opposite, but I'll pretend you answered the question. So you'd introduce every time, as your (infant|toddler|young child|tween|teenager|adult|senior|elderly) child? Because that seems odd. Yes, really.
- dgfitz 2y ago> So you'd introduce every time, as your (infant|toddler|young As opposed to what? I’m not arrogant enough to assume every stranger online knows the general age of my kids.
- Daviey 2y agoYou introduced your children into the discussion using the bare noun "kids" rather than a more specific noun phrase like "young kids" or "teenage kids." By omitting any age-related adjective, you focused on the essential fact of having children without specifying their age. This choice demonstrates common linguistic practice, we typically only mention the age range of relatives when it's directly relevant to the topic at hand. Your language use here is a nice example of this principle in action, effectively supporting my argument. One might argue that by not providing the age context as an adjective, you disrespected your children. However, this position seems to assume that age-specific descriptors are always necessary, which I disagree with. In fact, your choice to use the bare noun appears to show a nuanced understanding of when such specificity is needed and when it's superfluous. EDIT: I also see it's not the first time you've, according to your definition, been arrogant enough to not provide the age range of your children: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41213069 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41213069
- dgfitz 2y ago
- throwawayigd 2y agothe word "child" was used since I wanted to use a gender neutral language and "offspring" is not a word that came to mind. "kid" would have been equally bad.
- coffeeman6 2y agoI think they are going for gender neutral language.
- HenryBemis 2y agoI will take the word "child" from the context that "hey I'm the parent, they are the child". Also, I'm over 40, and I can say that at 19 I thought I was god/king/etc. and looking bad I am thinking that "damn I was soooOOOOOooo stupid!!". So yeah, at 19 kids are still morons. They may get some things right, but hey, there is a reason that many of us feel that we are (still) learning and (still) have a lot to learn about life at our 40s, 50s, 60s.