Magazine
Improvement Era 54, no. 6 (June 1951)
McKay, David O.
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What Was the Vocabulary of Joseph Smith?
Title
What Was the Vocabulary of Joseph Smith?
Magazine
Improvement Era
Publication Type
Magazine Article
Year of Publication
1951
Authors
Widtsoe, John A. (Primary)
Number of Pages
399, 476
Date Published
June 1951
Volume
54
Issue Number
6
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Abstract
This article argues that any translation will reflect the vocabulary of the translator, and such was the case with Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. An average “fairly well-educated” person possesses an 8,000 word vocabulary. Joseph Smith as a youth would have had a substantially smaller vocabulary. Interestingly, the Book of Mormon has a total vocabulary (including person and place names) of 3,307 words.
Table of Contents
Subject Keywords
Authorship
Authenticity
Book of Mormon Authorship
Book of Mormon Translation
Book of Mormon Names
Bibliographic Citation
Terms of use
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