What do you think of the Plain English Book of Mormon?

[prisonchaplain]

Here it is.

The Book of Mormon - plainBookofMormon.com

What do you think?

[Justice]

Don't like it.

Did this guy include all the symbolisms?

Did this guy include the chaistic structure?

[NJWindow]

I have this book, it is good for non-English speakers, as well.

[Guest mormonmusic]

I thought of creating a book like this myself when I started trying to read scriptures with my daughter. She got sick of doing it with me because the writing is so thick. I thought an easy-language version would be better.

I perused the comments on Amazon and also read through some of the chapters on the author's site.

Overall, I like the idea of it. I would rather the authors kept the look and feel of scripture, however; perhaps they were afraid of condemnation if they made it look too official, or to somehow compete with the standard works.

I'm all for it, and I'm going to pick up a copy for my daughter.

[Onhech]

Good for kids. But at the same time I think it is beneficial for them to wade through the Old English in preference to this or at least in addition to this. This book lacks information, just reading 1 Nephi 1, it removes necessary information and imposes the translators opinions. As such this edition would not be appropriate for gospel study. If a child were to read this instead of the canonized scripture he would have a much harder time changing over and understanding the Old English.

The concept in general i believe is discouraged by the church as far as a serious gospel standard is concerned. I would have to agree as it can only lose or misinterpret information. It's not like the bible where we can authoritatively retranslated it by looking at the sources. All we can do is look to get what Joseph Smith said when he read from the plates. Changes can and defiantly have been made for clarification and grimmer, but I think a major revision in the language of the text would do more harm then good.

Edited June 15, 2010 by Onhech

[LocalFarms]

Reading the Bible and Book of Mormon in the archaic speech gave me a leg up in being able to Shakespeare in high school. I could see how it could be useful to someone just learning eglish but I will start my children off reading the archaic speech.

[pam]

Onhech you said what I was thinking. This book is open to the interpretation of the author. While it might be an interesting read for someone who is well versed in the Book of Mormon, to have an investigator read it I think would not allow them the full spirit of the Book of Mormon. Just my opinion.

[Just_A_Guy]

I agree with what's already been said--for doctrinal expositions, there's just no substitute for the original text. If you're just trying to get an easy-to-understand version for children to get the basic plot--the Church already produces something like that.

[prisonchaplain]

the Church already produces something like that.

Now you tell me!

[LocalFarms]

I don't see the point in teaching children with plain english scriptures. Children can learn what the thees and thous mean a lot easier now than when they're adults.

[Onhech]

Agreed Farms. more a of a crutch than an aid. When they are young it is the best time for them to learn

[Moksha]

I remember asking some of my ward members and even a clerk at Deseret Book about such a book some years ago. Reading this would be the superior experience to wadding through the archaic-like writing of the original. Plus not getting bogged down with a numbering system helps in actual reading rather than using the book for selected quotes.

Did somebody mention Old English? Now that would be a hoot to translate the book into Old English - never can tell when our travels might take us to England 1024 AD. Might even convince that Chaucer fellow to change one of his tales to the Wives of Bath.

[Onhech]

Plus not getting bogged down with a numbering system helps in actual reading rather than using the book for selected quotes.

The replica of the 1830 BoM is good for that, it makes it a lot more coherent read, less mechanical. I like it.

[Dravin]

Did somebody mention Old English? Now that would be a hoot to translate the book into Old English - never can tell when our travels might take us to England 1024 AD. Might even convince that Chaucer fellow to change one of his tales to the Wives of Bath.

Old English 1 Nephi 3:7

Ac hit ālimpan þæt ic, Nephi, geásæd tō mīn fæder: Ic willan síþ ac dōn welhwá hwelc sé breguweard ontíned bebode...*

* Yes, I gave up half way through and the grammar is probably atrocious.

[mnn727]

at the same time I think it is beneficial for them to wade through the Old English in preference to this or at least in addition to this.

Why? do you also make them say Thee and Thou at home? Do you speak in 19th century English at the dinner table? When you are telling them what you did that day do you say "And it came to pass....."

Tradition!

Obviously I like the idea, I've read it. I would prefer something put out by the Church however, using the same process used to translate scripture into other languages, I think it could/would be better.

Edited June 16, 2010 by mnn727

[Maureen]

Old English 1 Nephi 3:7

Quote:

Ac hit ālimpan þæt ic, Nephi, geásæd tō mīn fæder: Ic willan síþ ac dōn welhwá hwelc sé breguweard ontíned bebode...*

* Yes, I gave up half way through and the grammar is probably atrocious.

Dravin, I'm very impressed. I don't understand a word, but I'm impressed. :)

M.

[Dravin]

Dravin, I'm very impressed. I don't understand a word, but I'm impressed. :)

M.

Makes you appreciate a little theeing and thouing don't it?

It's from the help of an online translator (though I had to do it word by word, thus the capitulation before the verse was complete), I don't want you to think I'm an Old English expert. :)

[martybess]

I've looked at it before. Didn't get a good feeling about it. That's all it took. Maybe if it was endorsed by the Church. Main reason without reading through it to find an example is you have a guy interpreting this BOM to the way he see's it and we all know there's many meanings. I also miss the Thee's and Thou's etc.. LOL For non english speaking ppl maybe??

[pam]

Plus even the best have a difficult time with 2 Nephi and trying to understand Isaiah. Too much symbolism there.

[rayhale]

A new translation of the Book of Mormon would be unlikely, what I would suggest, would be a grammar guide that helps you with the odd, and old words of the Scriptures that we don’t use, or have changed the meaning of. For example, thee, thou, thine; what do they mean exactly? How about a Kite, or any other odd named animals in the scriptures?

[mnn727]

I've looked at it before. Didn't get a good feeling about it. That's all it took.

I've heard the exact same words spoken by anti-Mormons speaking about the Book of Mormon

[Wingnut]

I looked through a few sections, and I found it awkward. It felt like an amateur translation of something into another language. Comparisons were translated directly, but didn't make sense anymore. Punctuation was translated directly, but seemed awkwardly placed. It made for a difficult and distracting read, because it was choppy and didn't flow well.

I don't see the point in teaching children with plain english scriptures. Children can learn what the thees and thous mean a lot easier now than when they're adults.

It's also harder to change prayer habits later in life from "you, your" to "thee, thy."

I've heard the exact same words spoken by anti-Mormons speaking about the Book of Mormon

I've never heard antis speak about "feelings" before. That's why they're anti -- they don't think outside of thinking.

[marshac]

Old English 1 Nephi 3:7

That's english from only 1000 years ago? My gosh- we've come a long way!

[marshac]

I didn't know such a version of the BoM existed, and quite frankly, I don't see the point. When different versions of the Bible come out, it's usually because a group of people return to the original (or earliest) versions of scripture, and attempt a new translation given the current best understanding of the old languages while simultaneously using a more modern phraseology.

Now how about the BoM? It's impossible to return to the original documents, so what you end up with is a 'translation' of a translation.... or rather, an interpretation of a translation. In the end, it's really an exercise in the old child's game 'telephone'- you whisper "the cow jumped over the moon" to a kid at one end of the line, and at the end of the line "purple monkey dishwasher" comes out.... clearly something was lost in 'translation' from child to child.

[Starya]

While plain English scriptures would also be good I don't think this would always be the case. While they might be good for children we should also teach them how to read the old english ones as well.

When I was a chile I learned how to read from reading the old english ones. You can learn a lot of stuff from reading them. I personaly, from personal experience think it's better for you to teach your children how to read the old english ones.