Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[stellara]

i just wondered again where's the difference between older and elder? do you usually say i have an elder or an older sister?
am i right in thinking that elder has more to do with getting more experience and thus becoming wiser?

thank you!!
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[bud]

Most people (at least in the U.S.) use older/oldest, but some do use elder/eldest. It seems to be used mostly for the immediate family: eldest son, older sister, or even eldest (oldest child). I don't knoiw whether or not it is considered wrong to use older/oldest, but that's what most of us Yanks say.

And yes, in another context that is probably more common in this country, elder conveys a sense of experienc and wisdom: ex., an elder statesman, a church elder.

[stellara]

okay, thank you!
_________________
Don't cry because it's over - smile because it happened!

MOKEY ROCKS!!!

[advoca]

The elder of two people is the one who was born first.

A person's elder is someone who is older than them, especially someone quite a lot older.


I have an elder sister two years older than I am, but I also have an older brother who is four years older than I am. I also have a grandfather and a grandmother. We kids have much respect for our elders and love them very much.

In many cases people do not bother about using elder and would say, �I have an older sister.�