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People saying "He's 28 years of old".

JeffersonJefferson Posts: 3,736
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in General Discussion #1
By mistake. As Ian Payne just did (on LBC) when talking about Wayne Rooney.

It always seems odd to me how often this mistake is made.

A bloke in the audience of Question Time last week said "I'm 82 years of old". Mind you he's probably got more reason than most to get it wrong.
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    InkblotInkblot Posts: 26,889
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    #2
    Never heard anyone say that. On the other hand, why do people say "he's 28 years of age"? What else could he be 28 years of? Width? Length? Misery? He's 28. That's all you need to say.
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    JasonJason Posts: 76,557
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    #3
    I've also never heard anyone say that.
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    Bex_123Bex_123 Posts: 10,783
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    #4
    Can't say I've ever heard anyone use that term.

    If I did, I'd assume they just got their words mixed up between years old and years of age.
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    gasheadgashead Posts: 13,822
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    #5
    Is it the latest deliberate mis-use of the language, such as when people talk about the 'interweb', 'pron' and 'pwning' to oh so hilarious effect?
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    gemma-the-huskygemma-the-husky Posts: 18,116
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    #6
    I do not think he said that. In all my years of old, i have never heard that expression.
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    coughthecatcoughthecat Posts: 6,876
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    #7
    Jefferson wrote: »
    By mistake. As Ian Payne just did (on LBC) when talking about Wayne Rooney.

    It always seems odd to me how often this mistake is made.

    A bloke in the audience of Question Time last week said "I'm 82 years of old". Mind you he's probably got more reason than most to get it wrong.

    For goodness' sake ... the guy got tongue-tied when the camera was on him and it was clear that he immediately realised he'd mixed up "82 years old" and "82 years of age". How is someone getting their words mixed up in any way "odd"? :confused:
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    JeffersonJefferson Posts: 3,736
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    #8
    coughthecat wrote: »
    For goodness' sake ... the guy got tongue-tied when the camera was on him and it was clear that he immediately realised he'd mixed up "82 years old" and "82 years of age". How is someone getting their words mixed up in any way "odd"? :confused:

    It's odd how many "professional TV talkers" do it. I did kinda excuse the old chap on QT.
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    JeffersonJefferson Posts: 3,736
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    #9
    gemma-the-husky wrote: »
    I do not think he said that. In all my years of old, i have never heard that expression.

    Who do you mean by "he"?
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    jrmswfcjrmswfc Posts: 5,644
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    #10
    This thread title was literally the first time in my life that I've heard this expression.
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    bluebladeblueblade Posts: 88,859
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    #11
    gashead wrote: »
    Is it the latest deliberate mis-use of the language, such as when people talk about the 'interweb', 'pron' and 'pwning' to oh so hilarious effect?

    Possibly - bit like "a women" instead of "a woman".
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    shackfanshackfan Posts: 15,461
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    #12
    Jefferson wrote: »
    By mistake. As Ian Payne just did (on LBC) when talking about Wayne Rooney.

    It always seems odd to me how often this mistake is made.

    A bloke in the audience of Question Time last week said "I'm 82 years of old". Mind you he's probably got more reason than most to get it wrong.

    Stupid thread says more about the op than anyone else. It's bloody obvious how this could happen.
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    JeffersonJefferson Posts: 3,736
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    #13
    Bex_123 wrote: »
    Can't say I've ever heard anyone use that term.

    If I did, I'd assume they just got their words mixed up between years old and years of age.

    Of course. It's not deliberate at all. It just seems so natural that 28 years of

    Is followed by "age".
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    John259John259 Posts: 28,484
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    #14
    This thread reminds me of the highly intriguing first sentence of the science fiction novel Inverted World by Christopher Priest: ""I had reached the age of six hundred and fifty miles."

    For an explanation of why this makes perfect sense within the context of the story, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverted_World
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    Hollie_LouiseHollie_Louise Posts: 39,998
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    #15
    First time I've ever heard of anyone saying that to be honest.
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    coughthecatcoughthecat Posts: 6,876
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    #16
    Jefferson wrote: »
    Of course. It's not deliberate at all. It just seems so natural that 28 years of

    Is followed by "age".

    It just seems natural to use a lower case "i" in "is" when it isn't preceded by a full stop, but we all make mistakes.

    I still don't see how it's odd to make an occasional mistake, and until today I'd never noticed anyone saying "years of old". :confused:
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    JeffersonJefferson Posts: 3,736
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    #17
    shackfan wrote: »
    Stupid thread says more about the op than anyone else. It's bloody obvious how this could happen.

    What are you trying to say? Bearing in mind you were wrongly thinking I was asking how this could happen. I WASN'T.
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    JeffersonJefferson Posts: 3,736
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    #18
    coughthecat wrote: »
    It just seems natural to use a lower case "i" in "is" when it isn't preceded by a full stop, but we all make mistakes.

    I still don't see how it's odd to make an occasional mistake, and until today I'd never noticed anyone saying "years of old". :confused:

    My tablet did that automatically.
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    Deep PurpleDeep Purple Posts: 63,255
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    #19
    Another thriller of a thread. Where do you get all this stuff from?
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    Thine WonkThine Wonk Posts: 17,190
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    #20
    No, never heard this... it might have been a one of slip of the tongue
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    Bedlam_maidBedlam_maid Posts: 5,922
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    #21
    Jefferson wrote: »
    By mistake. As Ian Payne just did (on LBC) when talking about Wayne Rooney.

    It always seems odd to me how often this mistake is made.

    A bloke in the audience of Question Time last week said "I'm 82 years of old". Mind you he's probably got more reason than most to get it wrong.

    I've not heard that said, ever.
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    Lou KellyLou Kelly Posts: 2,778
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    #22
    I've never, ever heard this said or read it written (until now) and I never, ever will again.
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    stoatiestoatie Posts: 78,106
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    #23
    I've also never heard it said, even once, in my 42 years of years.
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    Kaz159Kaz159 Posts: 11,824
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    #24
    Bedlam_maid wrote: »
    I've not heard that said, ever.

    Me neither. i presume it was just a slip of the tongue in both cases.
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    dee123dee123 Posts: 46,274
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    #25
    JasonWatkins wrote: »
    I've also never heard anyone say that.

    Yep. Never.
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    barbelerbarbeler Posts: 23,827
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    #26
    He was probably thinking of "in days of old"

    when knights were bold... http://www.odps.org/glossword/index.php?a=term&d=3&t=145
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