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Pedants' corner

Kids and numbers

(13 Posts)
hildajenniJ Wed 21-Feb-18 19:18:52

My DH is watching "What Would Your Kid Do" on ITV catch up TV. It's grating on me every time kid or kids is mentioned. What is wrong with child or children, they are perfectly good words, and just as easy to say.

MissAdventure Wed 21-Feb-18 18:09:08

I'd rather kids, kiddies, or anything other than littlies or littles.

varian Wed 21-Feb-18 17:43:58

Kiddies is even worse than kids

wotnot Wed 21-Feb-18 16:17:58

I used to get irritated by the term kids and for a long time
always said 'child/children', slowly changed and now at times I find myself saying kids too. One thing that still irritates me though is use of K instead of C in names of children's things, as in Kozy Corner Kidz Care, Kidz Kare Club, etc. I think it sends a poor message and is confusing to little ones learning to read. May be I'm wrong, just don't find it endearing or 'cute'.

farview Fri 16-Feb-18 22:12:08

Kids...great.my grandkids actually say to me.."are ALL the kids coming on Thursday grandma?" Let's not be too 'stiff'about this!!..or snobby!!...

MissAdventure Sat 10-Feb-18 14:17:13

Kids, children, any term is fine with me.

yggdrasil Sat 10-Feb-18 14:06:01

I think you should listen to people in other English speaking countries, (Africa, India) They always use 'kids'.
I think we are a bit too precious about it here, and anyway kids prefer to be called kids than children :-)

grandtanteJE65 Sat 10-Feb-18 12:56:59

I particularly object to the numeral 2 being used instead of "to", because to my Scots ears two and too should be pronounced similarly, but "to" is more just "t" followed by a breathy sound.

I too find kids slangy and inappropriate in a government leaflet, although apparently the use of kids as a word for human children goes back to the 17th century according to the greater Oxford Dictionary.

Welshwife Fri 09-Feb-18 13:47:48

I so agree about the use of the word ‘kids’ - grates every time I hear it!

Nonnie Fri 09-Feb-18 13:43:27

I still think a kid is a baby goat! Don't like it at all. However I don't feel the same about Change4Life as I see that as a catchy slogan which doesn't need to be correct. I think it probably has more impact that Change for life which is really the point. Anything which gets families to think about eating better and getting fitter. I saw the results of an experiment on the news last night, lots of children getting help to get more exercise and apparently no discernible improvement! I do think this has to come from the home. Sorry for the digression!

mammabear Fri 09-Feb-18 13:41:33

Kids are young goats, young humans are children.

Luckygirl Fri 09-Feb-18 13:37:01

I share your dislike of the work kids - irrational I know, but it seems disrespectful and almost an encouragement to behave badly.

Greta Fri 09-Feb-18 13:35:14

My grandson has just been measured and weighed at school and came back home with a leaflet with ideas for healthy eating: ”Top Tips for Top Kids”. This is a dh/gov.uk publication. Is the word 'child/children' now obsolete? Throughout this leaflet children are referred to as 'kids'. Also, if parents want further information they are advised to register at 'Change 4 Life'. I do so hate it when numbers replace words. Is it really that hard to write 'for'? Do you think it is sheer laziness or an attempt to sound 'cool'?