This made me chuckle!

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jkbarnes
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This made me chuckle!

Post by jkbarnes »

I just purchased an old set of the Encyclopedia Britannica as a fun addition to my library. In reading up about the Encyclopedia Britannica on Wikipedia (there’s a joke to be made there!), I came across this gem (emphasis mine)…
Starting with the 11th edition and following its acquisition by an American firm, the Britannica shortened and simplified articles to broaden its appeal to the North American market.
I thought all the British forumites might enjoy a good laugh at the expense of those of us here in North America.

And here’s my “new” old set:

0393B8EE-39D7-4688-A45E-0659AC8152C7.jpeg
1972 Encyclopedia Britannica, Revised 14th Ed.
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Re: This made me chuckle!

Post by Tortoise »

Hmm, I wonder what they had to do to appeal to the Australian market ..!? :lol:

It brings back memories of school homework and assignments that relied on the encyclopedia and library resources.
How did we ever cope without the internet?
rgds
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Re: This made me chuckle!

Post by monkeymax »

Slightly uncanny timing; I was browsing my parents copy (copies?) from the late 1970s over the weekend. Like yours, their acquisition is recent.

They were given a copy as a wedding present in the late 70s.
In the early 90s as we were moving overseas they decided it was too heavy and never used, so got gave it away.
In the mid-90s (pre-internet, but I had a copy of Microsoft's Encarta on CD-ROM for my Mac - which was really rare where we were) they decided to buy a children's encyclopedia - not much smaller than this.
During a move a few years back, having lamented how the internet had taken over encyclopedias and yet they'd brought our childrens encyclopedia back across the world only for it to continue to sit on a bookshelf unloved, they were discussing giving that away.
Last year they bought the above set, 'rebuying' their wedding present. Which now sits under the childrens encyclopedia. :lol:

I totally get it though. I've not had time to sit and read for a long time, but while with them over the weekend I started browsing A and before I knew it an hour had passed. In the same way as you can end up going down a hole on Wikipedia with links, but only this time with real paper and actually learning things. Encyclopedias are fantastic things.
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Re: This made me chuckle!

Post by exHowfener »

There used to be a set in the local library when I was growing up. It must have been an expensive item as it had been presented by the family of our MP who had died as a memorial item. Whiled away many an afternoon reading through this during the school holidays. A great acquisition.
I started out with nothing and I still have most of it left
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Re: This made me chuckle!

Post by Kip »

Tortoise wrote: Tue Sep 14, 2021 3:29 am
It brings back memories of school homework and assignments that relied on the encyclopedia and library resources.

How did we ever cope without the internet?
rgds
I have asked myself that many times.

Reports....term papers... thesis...it was a different world.
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Re: This made me chuckle!

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

Kip wrote: Tue Sep 14, 2021 12:30 pm
Tortoise wrote: Tue Sep 14, 2021 3:29 am
It brings back memories of school homework and assignments that relied on the encyclopedia and library resources.

How did we ever cope without the internet?
rgds
I have asked myself that many times.

Reports....term papers... thesis...it was a different world.
The answer to that, my friends, is that we developed proper research skills. During most of my 40 year career teaching languages, I taught children how to use bilingual dictionaries properly. In the last few years, when children were issued with school iPads, I was told that my approach was out of date and I needed to start using a dictionary app. Result? Most of them can’t even look up words in alphabetical order anymore.

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Re: This made me chuckle!

Post by jkbarnes »

Amor Vincit Omnia wrote: Tue Sep 14, 2021 5:42 pm Yes, I know, I’m a dinosaur.
Me too!
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Re: This made me chuckle!

Post by thomcat00 »

Amor Vincit Omnia wrote: Tue Sep 14, 2021 5:42 pm
Kip wrote: Tue Sep 14, 2021 12:30 pm
Tortoise wrote: Tue Sep 14, 2021 3:29 am
Result? Most of them can’t even look up words in alphabetical order anymore.

Yes, I know, I’m a dinosaur.
You mean the alphabet doesn’t begin with QWERTY? :p
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Re: This made me chuckle!

Post by thomcat00 »

My parents had a set from 1965 that I used through school. I few years ago my mother couldn’t even give it away and it got recycled. Wish I’d kept the atlas and maps that were part of the set: nostalgia for countries that no longer exist, etc.
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