Can We Please Stop Referring To The Simplified English Watchtower A The Dumbed Down Version

by Philadelphia Ponos 64 Replies latest jw friends

  • Philadelphia Ponos
    Philadelphia Ponos

    I really shouldn't have to say any of this but as someone who is in the process of learning a second language, I can tell that simple language makes things a lot clearer when you are not familiar with the language. Everyone on here started out reading simplified English while they were learning, including you native speakers. I'm sure no one here was reading on a college level in elementary school. It's seems very bigoted and hypocritical to call those trying to learn English dumb because they need it in a simplified version when you yourself would require the same simplicity if you were learning a language.

    P.S. For those of you who say a simplified version isn't necessary because the watchtower is available in most languages need to consider the following. English is the most spoken language on earth, the watchtower isn't gaining(if not losing) any members in English speaking countries but has a lot of growth in countries where english is spoken as a second language. It makes sense to build the English skills of those in non-English countries so they can "witness" to the hundreds of millions of English speakers on earth. Simply put, English is a more valuable language then there native language.

  • Luo bou to
    Luo bou to

    Point taken

  • Broken Promises
    Broken Promises

    I can see your point. Travel anywhere in the world and you will see that English has become the most widely spoken language.

    When posters are calling it the "dumbed down" version, they don't mean that those who need simplified English are dumb. It's just a way of referring to the information itself, not the people reading it.

    That's how I take it anyway. Anyone who's ever had to learn a foreign language would realise it's not an easy thing to do.

  • Aussie Oz
    Aussie Oz

    i see your point but really, is the watchtower not already pretty simple?

    the wording in the regular editions are chosen carefully i am sure and re-writting it to make it even more simple make no real sense to many.

    Some of the language and terms may be unique to the watchtower, but seldom is there a difficult word, and if there is, should not that word be learnt?

    With the WT already veiwed as simple and badly written, taking it to what seems the classic 'simplified english' does bring out the critic in many of us.

    Nobody is calling the learners or readers dumb.

    I believe we will also see the simplified wording giving off a different meaning than the wording in the regular edition at times, that may not be a good thing either.

    oz

  • wobble
    wobble

    What do we call it then, the Simple version ? (that sounds like it is for simpletons, difficult huh ?)

  • J. Hofer
    J. Hofer

    actually mandarin is the most widely spoken language. closely followed by english, then spanish (even though there are more spanish native speakers than english).

  • carla
    carla

    that sounds like it is for simpletons- true, true! simple version for the simpletons? dumbed down version for historically less educated jw's? easy reader version for the beginners? (in the US easy readers are usually for first graders) -semantics, what ever you call it it is still a piece of literature produced by the wt and therefore is already lacking in reason, truth, or having anything to do with thinking for ones self or critical thinking skills. Sometimes if something walks like a duck, quacks like a duck it really is a duck.

    Simply put, English is a more valuable language then there native language.- according to you? really? some third world country where the average citizen can barely travel to the next city really needs to learn to english so they can witness to all the english speaking folks? are you kidding?! Where are all these english speaking people for them to 'witness' to?

    There really is no need to produce the simpleton version other than easier mind control for the easy reader crowd.

  • Room 215
    Room 215

    The new simplified version, it seems, is tailored for the thousands of illegal aliens here in the U.S. who comprise the main source -- likely the only source-- of any increases in membership.

  • Black Sheep
    Black Sheep

    So what should we call the new Knuckle Dragger's Bible that's due out at the next conventions?

  • wasblind
    wasblind

    The simplified version is made for the less-educated witnesses

    be it immigrants to this country or any where else. The organization

    prefer dummies, dummies don't ask questions, and this make it possible

    to get a better grip on the sheep

    the next level of goin' simplified will be cave man drawings

    knowledge is supossed to grow, not constrict

    big fail Philidelphia ponos, come up with somethin' believable

    I might buy it

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