{"id":9,"date":"2014-08-03T04:36:50","date_gmt":"2014-08-03T04:36:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyenglishtips.com\/?p=9"},"modified":"2023-08-06T09:31:36","modified_gmt":"2023-08-06T04:01:36","slug":"simple-vs-simplistic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/commonenglisherrors.com\/simple-vs-simplistic\/","title":{"rendered":"Simple and Simplistic: Are Both One and The Same?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Simple and Simplistic: Many people prefer to use two adjectives synonymously. For example, it\u2019s very common to notice people saying the following sentences:<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the most simplistic way of getting this done?<\/p>\n

I celebrate my birthdays in simplistic ways possible.<\/p>\n

Is there any simplistic way of solving this problem?<\/p>\n

So what\u2019s wrong with the above sentences, you ask?<\/p>\n

A lot!<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s why:<\/p>\n

We need to understand that both words have different meanings however similar they may sound.<\/p>\n

Assuming that most of us already know how to use \u201csimple\u201d, let\u2019s talk about what \u201csimplistic\u201d actually means and why it cannot be a substitute for \u201csimple\u201d.<\/p>\n

Google defines \u201csimplistic\u201d as follows:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Treating complex issues and problems as if they were much simpler than they really are.<\/p>\n

Example: Simplistic Solutions<\/p>\n

I think it would be better to deconstruct the word \u201csimplistic\u201d to be able to understand why it\u2019s not as simple a word as you may think it is.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s go back to the root of the word: Simplistic is an adjective which has been derived from the word \u201csimplism\u201d (simple + ism).<\/p>\n

The suffix \u201cism\u201d is usually added to words to define a state of mind or school of thought. There are some examples such as:<\/p>\n

Marxism (Marx + ism) = The ideology of following Karl Marx or his philosophy.<\/p>\n

Racism (Race + ism) = The philosophy of believing or discriminating people based on their races.<\/p>\n

Simplism is not a very widely used word but please remember that we\u2019re trying to dissect the word to get to the point.<\/p>\n

The Free Dictionary defines \u201csimplism\u201d as: The tendency to oversimplify an issue or a problem by ignoring complexities or complications.<\/p>\n

Therefore, simplism is a state of mind that believes everything in life is simple even when they are not. In other words, it\u2019s the philosophy of approaching problems in a superficial manner, without reading too much into them and missing the whole point in the process.<\/p>\n

During our school days, some students would answer questions without taking due time to analyse the problem and end up being wrong. How would you explain their approach solving problems?<\/p>\n

Simplistic approach.<\/p>\n

The problem with this approach is that you don\u2019t understand things the way they are supposed to be understood and approach the problem in a wrong way.<\/p>\n

Here are some examples for your interpretations:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Your answer is too simplistic; I think you didn\u2019t get the question properly.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a very simplistic notion that climate change can be averted by growing trees.<\/p>\n

Sorry if this seems simplistic, but theology\u2019s not really my cup of tea; I don\u2019t believe in any gods.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s only simplistic to assume that nudity shown in mainstream commercial movies is corrupting the young mind and spoiling the national culture.<\/p>\n

So can we use simplistic to mean \u201csimple\u201d?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

No.\u00a0 When something is simplistic, it is excessively simple.\u00a0 We once saw an ad in which a company was advertising \u201csimplistic solutions\u201d to problems.\u00a0 We wouldn\u2019t mind having simple answers, but we don\u2019t want simplistic answers.\u00a0 If you want a straightforward answer from someone, ask for a simple answer.\u00a0 If you want to criticize someone for oversimplifying an issue, tell the person that his or her views are simplistic.<\/p>\n

Hope this helps clarify the fundamental differences between \u201csimple and \u201csimplistic\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Simple vs Simplistic: Many people prefer to use two adjectives synonymously. However, both words have different meanings however similar they may sound. Here is how.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[89,7],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nSimple and Simplistic: Are Both One and The Same? - Common English Errors<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Simple vs Simplistic: Many people prefer to use two adjectives synonymously. However, both words have different meanings however similar they may sound. 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