“Aged” Versus “Normal”: Conceptualising “Correctly” Ageism in English
“Aged” Versus “Normal”: Conceptualising “Correctly” Ageism in English

Summary/Abstract: With an ageing population and a significant shift in demographics, systemic ageism is becoming a promising area of research. Taking a qualitative approach and an interdisciplinary perspective, this paper describes the world of an ageing self and how old age is conceptualized in English, focusing particularly on the language related to ageism. The construction of age identity in discourse is influenced by social factors and results from a number of assumptions and stereotyped prejudices, highlighting the idea that certain actions and behaviours are unusual, or not “normal” for this group. Against this context, the article examines the conceptualization of attitudes and perceptions of ageing and older adults. Such research will contribute to better understanding the nature of language-based age discrimination and provide further implications for rethinking OLD AGE concept in English.

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