Pelin
Can I use these interchangeably? I would never give birth to a child at a late age. I would never give birth to a child at an old age.
Feb 21, 2025 9:36 PM
Answers · 5
1
Yes. They mean practically the same thing in this context.
Feb 21, 2025 10:44 PM
Neither make much sense in isolation because when we think of ‘old’ or ‘late’ age, we think of ages at which giving birth isn’t possible. If it were possible for me to give birth in my 60s, I wouldn’t want to. (Hypothetical) I don’t want to be an older mother. (=Older than most mothers) I’d never have a kid in my 40s. (Some women do, but that’s too old for me)
11 hours ago
Late is generally not used, but you could say “later in life” and this could almost be similar to the second statement.
12 hours ago
✅ "I would never give birth to a child at a late age." → This sounds more natural. "Late age" is often used when talking about pregnancy and childbirth. 🚫 "I would never give birth to a child at an old age." → This sounds awkward because "old age" usually refers to much later stages of life (e.g., senior years). It’s not commonly used in discussions about childbirth. A more natural alternative: 👉 "I would never have a child at a late age." (More common in speech) 👉 "I would never give birth at a late age." (More concise)
16 hours ago
I would say 'I would never have a child at a late age' or 'I would never have a child later in life'. 'at an old age' is okay, but it makes me think of a great age, like 70, when it would be pretty obvious that you wouldn't be having a child. I'd also say you wouldn't 'have a child' rather than 'give birth to a child' because the latter makes me think of your suddenly deciding not to give birth at the last minute after having been pregnant, which obviously isn't possible :D If you decide not to 'have a child', you decide before the child is conceived.
Feb 21, 2025 10:00 PM
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