[Grammar] the blind

Status
Not open for further replies.

Will17

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2008
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
French
Home Country
France
Current Location
UK
Hello there!

We say:

-The dead

-The blind

-The deaf

But can we say

-The youngers and the olders

Thank you very much

Will
 

freezeframe

Key Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2011
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
English
Home Country
Canada
Current Location
Canada
Hello there!

We say:

-The dead

-The blind

-The deaf

But can we say

-The youngers and the olders

Thank you very much

Will

No. We say "the young and the old"
or
"the youth (youngsters) and the elders"

What is the relation to the dead, the deaf and the blind? :-|


EDIT: add "the elderly"; see fivejedjon's comment below
 
Last edited:

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
We say [...] "the elders"
I would never say that unless I were talking about people treated with great respect, and having some sort of authority, in certain communities, or holding some kind of official position in some churches.
 

freezeframe

Key Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2011
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
English
Home Country
Canada
Current Location
Canada
I would never say that unless I were talking about people treated with great respect, and having some sort of authority, in certain communities, or holding some kind of official position in some churches.


Agreed.
In the absence of any kind of context I entertained that possibility.

I probably should have said "the elderly".
 
Last edited:

SanMar

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2011
Member Type
Other
Native Language
English
Home Country
Canada
Current Location
Canada
"Respect your elders!" in this case it refers to any older person.

:)


Not a teacher.
 

SanMar

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2011
Member Type
Other
Native Language
English
Home Country
Canada
Current Location
Canada
What about "Respect the elders"?


No, never heard of that as a common saying. As a sentence it suggests the meaning that Fivejedjon mentioned above (post #3).

:)

Not a teacher.

ps If you want it to mean older people in general you could say "Respect the elderly" but it is not a common saying either, at least not where I live in Canada.
 
Last edited:

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
Also, whille we do say the blind, etc, people are moving more towards saying things like blind people. This way, they are people first and foremost.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top