When do you stop being a teenager?

[MichaelW2]

In newspaper reports of crimes, often 19 year olds are described as teenagers. Is this a correct use of the term. Lawyers, and newspapers love to jiggle around with the perceptions of age and innocence, so we get headlines such as " man stabs teenager" when a 20 yr old stabs a 19 yr old outside a club. We also get photos of angelic looking boys taken before their voice broke to illustrate much older usually victim males.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Teenage years - 13-19

 

[swee'pea99]

I'll let you know. (56)

 

[Markymark]

A teenager is not defined in law but is a person whose age ends in 'teen'. An adult is described in law as being over 18 (think Scotland is different though?).

 

[marinyork]

. Lawyers, and newspapers love to jiggle around with the perceptions of age and innocence, so we get headlines such as " man stabs teenager" when a 20 yr old stabs a 19 yr old outside a club. We also get photos of angelic looking boys taken before their voice broke to illustrate much older usually victim males.

Ah yes, lets go back to those bad old days of more than about 10-15 years ago where it didn't used to be reported or the insinuation was well the 'victim' was young, probably some youth in a gang that deserved it anyway. Gang doing unto a gang. In the past reportage was biased heavily towards youths being the ones doing it and not victims.

 

[MichaelW2]

Prompted by a Guardian headline today.

 

[Fnaar]

I may have the body of a middle aged man, but I have the brain of a 14 year old boy.

 

[Markymark]

I may have the body of a middle aged man, but I have the brain of a 14 year old boy.

In a jar in your kitchen?

 

[S-Express]

In newspaper reports of crimes, often 19 year olds are described as teenagers. Is this a correct use of the term

 

[Globalti]

This is a bit of an issue for my colleague who lives in Lagos - his two daughters aged 14 and 16 play tennis but they are constantly up against the problem of "sports age" where people bribe the passport office to give their kids a younger age by 2 to 3 years, meaning that his daughters aren't actually playing another 16 year-old, they are playing a 19 year old.

 

[Crackle]

Oooh, thread of the day and it's still early.

 

[Maverick Goose]

I'll let you know. (56)

Likewise!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl7E2MXSXlY

 

[jefmcg]

I'm not sure what the problem is. If they said "man" you'd know it was someone over 18 and (maybe) below pension age, so a range of nearly 50 years. As they said "teen", it's a range of 7 years. Much more precise.

You can easily read the article for more information, as you clearly did.

 

[Drago]

You cease being a teenager when your age no longer has 'teen' in it.

There are numerous, often overlapping descriptors for varying age characteristics. Don't get hung up on it.

 

[numbnuts]

Shave the children