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Kooyeen Posted 19 years ago
Grammar
boy? young man?
Hi,
If a male person is between 18 and 25 years old, is he a boy?
I'll tell you: I usually say "guy", I use that word very often. But now I'd like to know how to refer to young men in a less informal way. How old are boys? And girls, byw?
Thank you
If a male person is between 18 and 25 years old, is he a boy?
I'll tell you: I usually say "guy", I use that word very often. But now I'd like to know how to refer to young men in a less informal way. How old are boys? And girls, byw?
Thank you
Top answer
It rather depends on context and scenario. "Boy" is used in the press for any age up to 18, if the journalist wants to arouse sympathy, but that after that it becomes "young man". Personally I wouldn't refer to a man of 25 as a boy.
- It rather depends on context and scenario.
- "Boy" is used in the press for any age up to 18, if the journalist wants to arouse sympathy, but that after that it becomes "young man".
- Personally I wouldn't refer to a man of 25 as a boy.
- "Guy" seems a reasonable informal alternative.
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3 Answers
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It rather depends on context and scenario. "Boy" is used in the press for any age up to 18, if the journalist wants to arouse sympathy, but that after that it becomes "young man". Personally I wouldn't refer to a man of 25 as a boy. "Guy" seems a reasonable informal alternative.
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I see, thank you.
What about women? I guess the same reasoning applies to "girl"... and "young lady", right?
Thanks
What about women? I guess the same reasoning applies to "girl"... and "young lady", right?
Thanks
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Much the same - though "young woman" is more likely than "young lady" in the newspapers. However, "girl" does tend to be used for women far more than "boy" is for men > remember the film "Calendar Girls"?
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