old and young

[Verona_82]

Hello,

I'm wondering if there's a signigicant difference between the following sentences:

(1) Tom's parents are as young as Sam's.
(2) Tom's parents are as old as Sam's.

Does the second sentence just compare the age which can be any, or does it imply that the boys' parents are actually old?

Thank you!

 

[5jj]

(1) Tom's parents are as young as Sam's.
(2) Tom's parents are as old as Sam's.

Does the second sentence just compare the age which can be any, or does it imply that the boys' parents are actually old?

Possibly #2 is more 'neutral' than #1 - 'old' is the default choice in age, as we see in the normal question, "How old are you?" not "How young are you?"

#1 may suggest that both sets of parents are younger than one might have expected them to be.

The most neutral of all would be, "Tom's parents are the same age as Sam's".