I always thought that the only difference between these two words is just how formal/informal they are...Sirila said:Are "kid" and "child" synonyms?
I would ask "How are your children doing?"Sirila said:Thank you Petereid,
Would you still say "how are the kids" if your friend's sons/daughters are already in their late teens or mid-twenties or even thirty-some?
Yes
They are (some forties). I still do.
What would you ask of stranger's families -referring to their 'offspring'?
That's partially true, but "children" also means offspring, as in hijos (sorry for the Spanish!) as opposed to someone between the ages of 3-13 (for example). Parents certainly talk about their teenage children, or their adult children.teenagers get angry if you call them boys or children. i think a kid is meant to be a little elder than a child
You could call them "guys"Rebis said:teenagers get angry if you call them boys or children. i think a kid is meant to be a little elder than a child
I would disagree with this, though. If someone is the offspring of another, they certainly wouuld not say "I have three guys, aged 13, 14, and 17." Again, the context is paramount. If I said to a teenager "you are a child", they would get mad. However, if their parent said "I have two children," that's perfectly acceptable.You could call them "guys"
That's just a reminder that using "kid" to mean "child" is not a modern phenomenon. It has been around for centuries.... the OED lists the first reference from 1599 ... Originally low slang, but common in familiar speech by the 19th Century. ... for the use of kid to mean child ...
Nine years later, by which time both of my daughters have young mixed-sex families, I have to report that referring to your children collectively as "guys" is common.I have never heard anyone use guys to refer specifically to their own children