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Adult children

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Ubutumwa 14

ururimi: English

Mustelvulpo (Kwerekana umwidondoro) 25 Ndamukiza 2012 20:56:43

In English, a person will often say "I have two children" even though the children may now be adults. Is it common in Esperanto to say "Mi havas du infanojn" even though the children have grown up? I've gotten the impression that "infano" should only be used for children of perhaps twelve years or younger and a word like "gefiloj" should be used for adult children. I'm looking for other opinions on this.

Chainy (Kwerekana umwidondoro) 25 Ndamukiza 2012 21:16:12

Mi havas du filojn = I've got two sons.
Mi havas du filinojn = I've got two daughters.
Mi havas du gefilojn = I've got two children (son and daughter).

So, you can use one of the above when talking about adult children. However, I think you can get away with using 'infanoj' if you want. Context would make it clear. Check out the two definitions of 'infano' in vortaro.net - that'll give you a clue!

Hyperboreus (Kwerekana umwidondoro) 25 Ndamukiza 2012 21:19:13

Forigite

Fenris_kcf (Kwerekana umwidondoro) 25 Ndamukiza 2012 22:34:52

I understand "infan(in)o" as some kind of mixture between "fil(in)o" and "knab(in)o". IMO it's unnecessary. But there's also a difference: "infan" is not one of the roots with male meaning, while "fil" and "knab" are.

acdibble (Kwerekana umwidondoro) 26 Ndamukiza 2012 00:48:51

Mi havas du idojn.

erinja (Kwerekana umwidondoro) 26 Ndamukiza 2012 01:16:26

idoj is usually only used to refer to the young of animals, not people.

Though "reĝido" as a synonym for "princo" (prince) is sometimes seen, and the Bible speaks of the "Israelidoj" (Children of Israel).

To hear someone refer to their children as "idoj" brings to my mind the word "offspring". It gives a strange impression. I don't see this usage very much, mostly just with beginners.

I prefer to reserve "infanoj" for actual children, and use "gefiloj" for adult children.

I don't really like the fact that in English, we have to add in extra descriptions to make it clear whether we are talking about children = someone's sons or daughters, versus children = young humans. I prefer to reserve "infano" for actual chronological children in Esperanto.

acdibble (Kwerekana umwidondoro) 26 Ndamukiza 2012 01:25:02

erinja:idoj is usually only used to refer to the young of animals, not people.
I thought so until I saw the definition in NPIV:

-id/.
I- Suf. esprimanta la ĝeneralan ideon de naskiteco, k uzata:
A. pri homoj por signifi, sen ia nuanco pri aĝo

erinja (Kwerekana umwidondoro) 26 Ndamukiza 2012 15:29:18

acdibble:
erinja:idoj is usually only used to refer to the young of animals, not people.
I thought so until I saw the definition in NPIV:

-id/.
I- Suf. esprimanta la ĝeneralan ideon de naskiteco, k uzata:
A. pri homoj por signifi, sen ia nuanco pri aĝo
As I said, usually. Regardless of what PIV says, in my years of speaking Esperanto, I don't generally hear anyone except beginners talking about their "idoj". Maybe you've heard differently or talked to different people than I have, but this has been my experience.

Idoj in reference to people, as I said, usually has something to do with a title (reĝido etc) or a very formal or scientific situation (like the Izraelidoj in the Bible).

Fenris_kcf (Kwerekana umwidondoro) 26 Ndamukiza 2012 15:45:41

acdibble:Mi havas du idojn.
Sound like you procreate by budding like a sponge ridego.gif

No offense. Just the way I'd understand this sentence.

EDIT: After looking in the vortaro, i have to revise my view. Looks like it's totally fine to use "ido" this way.

acdibble (Kwerekana umwidondoro) 26 Ndamukiza 2012 20:06:30

erinja:Idoj in reference to people, as I said, usually has something to do with a title (reĝido etc) or a very formal or scientific situation (like the Izraelidoj in the Bible).
Yes I could see why that is, but I think that "offspring" is too formal a translation for "ido", but we don't really have an equivalent informal English term. Speaking of which, the only translation "ido" has on this website, in English at least, is "Ido".

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