Why are elderly people often called "old people" but children are never called "new people"?

Answer 1

I don't know but hey, when you get what you want from somone you call them "used people".

Answer 2

Because the word "old" is being used in a slightly different sense in the comparison "old vs.young" than when it is used in the sense of "old vs. new." In the first case, old means elderly or advanced in years and refers to people or animals. In the second case, old would normally refer to an object that is out of date or worn out, while new would refer to something that was freshly made.

Answer 3

I think we just got in the habit of calling elderly people old. Where I am from girlfriend or boyfriend is referred to as my old lady or my old man. I hated that. So, I think it is just way we generally speak today and new people for our children just doesn't fit. Perhaps in our kids generation it will become a new hip way to describe their babes.

Answer 4

Ugh. You are just... anyways, they call them old people, and children are called young people. See, in age with people, they are classified as young or old. That's how it works. It's a lot different than stating the age of an item.

Answer 5

They are often called young or little people instead.

Answer 6

Because they are called young people.

Answer 7

Good observation!

It would sound cool if they were (called 'new people)..

My only explanation would be that english can be a stupid language in so many ways (how come a fly can fly, but a bird doesn't bird?)!! ;)

Answer 8

They are called young people, I think.

Answer 9

hehehe, I never thought of that before.
Babies are called newborns.....maybe that's the equivalent?
children are called young people.

Answer 10

its equality to call people that and i don't know why people do/don't its just fair, you got a valid point there hun

good luck with findin out the answer!!
xxx