Tonight we’re taking a closer look at what might be the start of America’s new baby boom. The government just reported a population milestone. More babies were born last year than any other year in U.S. history - a record 4.3 million births. That has real implications for everything from schools to social security in the years to come. But the real question is, why so many babies now? Here’s David Wright.
The number of babies born last year was nearly double the number born a century ago. The last time the U.S. even came close was 50 years ago. "It’s a record. And it’s a particularly interesting record because the year that it beats is 1957, which was the height of the baby boom."
And that’s remarkable, especially when you stop to think that the carefreeprosperity of those post war years, the conditions that led to the baby boom, today seem[sic] a distant memory: gas prices soaring, housing prices faltering, the economy in a tailspin.
This is a very different era. "In the 50's the average woman was having close to four children. Now she’s having close to two." (This is our second.) But the overall population is nearly twice what it was in the 50's. There’s been an uptick in the number of women having children later, as a career choice or with the help of technology.
Among women in their forties, the birthrate has doubled since the 1990's, quadrupled since the 1980's. Childbirth among unmarried women is at record levels too. But the biggest factor, demographers say, is immigration. The birthrate is rising fastest among Hispanic immigrants in particular. Of course more kids today means more workers and taxpayers tomorrow. The aging baby boomers will have their kids to support them. The downside. More competition. All those babies will want to drive someday.
And in the meantime, their parents will need big cars to chauffeur them around. Mariam Forcarracas gave birth to a daughter today. She and her husband already have a son who’s a year and a half. "When I told him that we were having a girl, he goes, 'Check please.'" "Yeah, I was like, ah, we’re done." They’re probably stopping at two, like most Americans, but even at that rate the numbers add up fast. David Wright ABC News, Washington.
milestone : 이정표, (역사 인생 등의) 중대 시점, 획기적인 사건 (an event or achievement that marks an important stage in a process) * a milestone in medical history 의학사에 있어서 획기적인 사건 * pass a milestone / reach a milestone implication : (뜻의) 포함, 함축, 내포, 암시, 언외(言外) 의 의미, 영향, 결과 ([count usually plural] a possible effect or result) * imply 내포하다, 함축하다, 암시하다, 넌지시 비추다 * have implications for: We believe that this will have serious implications for the environment. * implications of: We need to consider the financial implications of these changes. * implication that: I resent the implication that my work is not thorough. social security : 사회 보장 (제도) * the Social Security Administration : 사회보장청 come close : 가까이 다가가다[오다] *come close to (doing) something : (=come near to doing) 거의~하게 되다, 하마터면 ~ 할 뻔하다 ex. I came close to giving up several times. height : 높이, 고도, [the ~] 절정, 극치, 극도; 한창 (때) * at the height of the battle 전투가 한창일 때에. * be at the height of one's fame[popularity] 명성 [인기]의 절정을 누리고 있다. carefree : 근심[걱정]이 없는, 태평스러운/ happy and without any worries, problems, or responsibilities ex. a carefree life 태평한 생활 ex. She was feeling perfectly relaxed, almost carefree. prosperity : 번영, 번창, 융성 distant : <거리가> 먼, 원격의, (시간적으로) 먼, 아득한, < 친척 등이> 혈연이 먼, <태도 등이> 거리를 두는, 쌀쌀한 ex. a distant view 원경 (遠景) ex. She was cold and distant. falter : 움찔하다, 망설이다. 말을 더듬다, 우물거리다, 비틀거리 다. /1. to stop being effective or making progress: ex. Peace talks have faltered. 평화회담이 주춤했다. ex. His courage faltered. 그는 기가 죽었다 2. to stop doing something because you have lost your confidence or determination: ex. I have not faltered in my quest for a new future. ex. She faltered in her speech. 그녀는 머뭇거리며(더듬거리며) 말했다 3. if someone's steps falter, they stop walking * faltering : 움찔하는, 망설이는 tailspin : 나선형 급강하, (경제적) 혼란, 침체, (주가 따위 의) 하락 / an occasion when something or someone suddenly gets into a very bad state ex. sending the nation's financial markets into a tailspin era : 연대, 시대 ex. We are living in an era in which technology is developing very rapidly. uptick : An increase, especially a small or incremental one ex. last week's uptick in interest rates. birthrate : 출생률 quadruple : 4중[겹]의(fourfold), 4부[단위]로 된, [the ~] 4배, 4배 로 하다 [되다] * triple : 3중의; 3배의, 3부분으로 되는, 3배의 수[양], 세 개 한 벌, 3중[배] 의 것, 3중[배]으로 하다 childbirth : 출산, 분만 * a difficult childbirth : 난산. demography : 인구 통계학, 인구학 * demographics : [단수 취급] 인구 통계 * demographic : 1. 인구 (통계) 학의 2. a group of people that a company wants to sell its products to *demographer : 인구 통계학자 downside : 아래쪽 , ( 그래프 등의 ) 하강 부분 , 불리한 [ 부정적 인 ] 면 , 아래쪽의 , 하강의 / the disadvantage or negative aspect of something (opposite UPSIDE) * upside : (opp. downside ) 상부, 윗면, [가격의] 상승 경 향, 밝은 면, 좋은 면. in the meantime : 그러는 사이, 그러 는 동안, 한편으로는 chauffeur : (자가용 차·회사차 의) 운전사, (자가용 차의) 운전사로 일하다, vt. ~의 (자가용 차) 운전사 로 일하다, ~을 자가용 차로 안내하다 give birth to ~: ~을 낳다, ~의 원인이 되다 * give birth : 출산하다 ex. She gave birth to a baby boy. ex. The event gave birth to the peace movement. add up : 1. ~을 합계하다, 2. 말이 되다, 앞뒤가 맞다, 조리가 닿다 (If something fails to add up, it is not reasonable) 3. if small amounts add up, they gradually produce a large total ex. I'm not very good at adding up in my head. ex. His story just doesn't add up. (= not reasonable) ex. There's something about this case that just doesn't add up. ex. All these little expenses soon add up. 이 적은 비용들이 모여서 금방 큰 비용이 된다. * add up to 합계 ~이 되다, 결국 ~이 되다. ex. His business expenses add up to around $4,000 a year. ex. Their proposals do not add up to any real help for the poor.