ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Age-graded variation

Age-graded variation means that people of different ages speak in slightly different ways. Think about how you talk to your friends versus how you talk to your grandma. That's a kind of age-graded variation.

When we talk about bigger age groups, like babies or teenagers, we see even more differences. Babies might not even be talking yet, but they still communicate with their cries and coos. Teenagers might use different slang words than adults or speak in a more informal way.

These differences happen because people of different ages grow up in different times and places, and they learn language from the people around them. So the way your parents and grandparents talk might be different from the way your friends' parents and grandparents talk.

Overall, age-graded variation is just a fancy way of saying that people of different ages have their own unique ways of speaking. It's important to recognize these differences and respect them, so we can all communicate effectively with each other.
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