My son is 12. By established child holy writ, kids say "going on" and then the age-to-be.
I'm 38, with my birthday next week. Am I supposed to be saying "38, going on 39"?
2007-09-14 07:16:35 · 21 answers · asked by Bill 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
yes you are
I always say what Im going on, and Im 60 already
In my case, however, its more like 60, going on 29.
2007-09-14 07:22:28 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Established holy writ? People around where I live hardly ever say "going on", unless they are trying to make a comment that the child tries to act more mature: "13 going on 25". I'd say you're free to just say 38.
2007-09-14 18:44:44 · answer #2 · answered by drshorty 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Use "going on" with your son until he or his age group grows out of it not that there is anything wrong with "going on" until you die unless the person you are defining with "going on" says he doesn't like the term then you change it with them. I do think that just "going on 39" is appropriate because 38 is assumed. Usually it makes people sound older saying "going on". Another application is the person who is related to the "going on" is very mature for their age or does something very mature for their age and "10 going on 20" or 12 going on 35" is used.
2007-09-14 14:34:04 · answer #3 · answered by Steve 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is no 'hard and fast rule' of grammar on this particular way of saying one's age. I'm now 57, and before that I simply said I was 56, but occasionally said my birthday when it was 'close' (under one month) ... so you should decide what to say according to the person you are saying it to. I have a friend who tells everyone she's 39 ... she's done it since she was 18, and she still does it now ... she's actually 62!
2007-09-14 14:24:40 · answer #4 · answered by Kris L 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You could say "38 soon-to-be-39". As for using that phrase I do it when referring to how "grown" children are acting..example, "10 going on 20" or "15 going on 25".
2007-09-14 14:27:20 · answer #5 · answered by buckskinbabydoll♥ 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on your attitude - kids say it because they want to emphasize that they are almost old enough to do the next higher age bracket. I mean - "eleven and three quarters" sounds nerdy, "eleven" is so young, while "going on 12" or "almost 12" is uplifting and positive. Somewhere about your age, I hear "Well past 35"
2007-09-14 14:24:51 · answer #6 · answered by Mike1942f 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
After 29, I prefer to say my true age up until the day, hour and minute of my next birthday. I wonder if we can say "I am going off 30" when we turn 31, etc..?
2007-09-14 14:24:28 · answer #7 · answered by Signilda 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm in my 40's, when it's less than 6 months to my b-day I'll say, I'm going on 42, if someone asks, my in laws say it too. I don't know if it's a colloquialism or a personal thing.
P.S. If you ever feel the need to lie about your age, lie UP!!! Then everyone will say, OMG you look fabulous!!!!! If your 50 and you tell people that your 30 they'll think your a drug addict or something,LOL!!!!!!!!!!!
2007-09-14 15:16:11 · answer #8 · answered by sheyna 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's a personal choice in my opinion.
even as a child i never said going on. if someone asks me how old i am i state my current age, unless it's within 2 months of my birthday, like now, i'm 22 but in a month and a half i'm 23 so i'd say "i'm almost 23"
2007-09-14 14:26:57 · answer #9 · answered by fallingstar 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd say when you're a teenager you stop saying that. Kids are so eager to turn into teenagers that they want to make it sound like they're older - hence "12 going on 13"
2007-09-14 14:25:45 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I stopped at the age I stopped being excited about birthdays, which would have been at about age 15.
2007-09-14 15:06:32 · answer #11 · answered by startwinkle05 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋