Often, beginners, and sometimes people with a stronger knowledge base in English do not know or confuse the rules for using certain words. One of the most common questions that baffles many is the use of the words older and elder. What is the difference between the two?
The reason for the difficulty of translating some words
In the past, England survived a large number of conquests from different peoples: Vikings, Romans, French. In addition to the new orders, the invaders brought their culture and language. Decades passed, and those who were initially on the attacking side, already got a family on British soil. It is historical facts that served as the reason for the mixing of the grammatical and phonetic rules of one language with another and the cause of the headache of many people studying the language.
Today we look at the words older and elder. What is the difference? The answer to this question is partially the historical background of the emergence of the language and the acquisition of new lexical and grammatical forms.
Semantic difference
English is synonymous. This means that one word has more than 5 translation options, while in Russian the number of other interpretations of one expression, although close in meaning, is much less. This makes it difficult to distinguish between older and elder. Both words are translated into Russian as "older / older." But the meaning is a little different, what about?
Older and elder: what is the difference?
Words come from the adjective old - old, well-worn, long-standing. In its current form, the vocabulary is in a positive degree, which simply means the property of the adjective. If the speaker wants to indicate and emphasize in the speech that something is older or worn, then the suffix -er must be added to the word old. A particle is added to monosyllabic words, and in the adjective old there is just one syllable. This rule is called adjective comparison and applies when two or more objects need to be matched.
The adjective elder is not used comparatively, that is, you do not need to add the -er suffix. But there is another way to use the adjective - as a noun in the meaning of "elders", that is, sages.
It is best to demonstrate the difference between older and elder with examples.
My book is older than yours. “My book is older than yours.”
This example illustrates a comparative degree, or comparative degree of an adjective.
The adjective elder means older, but is used only in the meaning of older brother / older sister.
His elder brother is here. - His older brother.
This indicates the age difference between brothers.
His brother is older. - His brother is older.
Focuses on the specific number of brother's age, not on the difference.
In the meaning of "elders," the word elders is used only with a definite article, with the addition of the letter -s at the end.
The elders are wise. “The elders are wise.”
Superlative Comparison
We figured out the comparative form with the ending -er. We continue to study the words older and elder. What is the difference now is clear, but it is worth remembering that there is another way of matching words. If the speaker wants to indicate that something is the oldest of all possible options, then the adjective should be prefixed with the definite article the, and at the end of the word - the ending -est. These signs indicate that in all respects nothing can be compared with the object.
I want the oldest car. - I want the oldest car (indicates age).
In excellent form, the adjective elder is used in the same way as in the previous case:
She is the eldest of four sisters. “She is the eldest of four sisters.”
Ann is the eldest girl in our class. “Ann is the oldest in our class.”
In this example, after the adjective is the noun girl, so we use the eldest, not the oldest.
These examples illustrate the use of superlative degree , or superlative degree.
Against the background of the presented samples, it can be concluded that the difference between the oldest and eldest is that the second word is used to show someone else's seniority in the family. Also, this adjective is often used before a noun.
The following advice may serve as a small hint: if you need to say something in the meaning of "old", then the adjective old and its comparative form are used. And if you need to indicate the age that one person is older than another, and even if there is a noun in the sentence after the eldest, then elder.
What else can be said about the words older and elder? What is the difference? Consider the following rule. You can not use the adjective elder, replacing the familiar older. But if communication goes beyond informal, then you should definitely remember and use the rule for its intended purpose.
The meaning of adjectives in the translation into Russian does not show those subtleties that can be observed in English. Therefore, the rule must be memorized so as never to ever wonder what older and elder are, and what is the difference between these words.