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Looking at examples like Basic English or Simple English, I see phrases like "controlled language" or "controlled vocabulary". Is there a simpler word?

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    Macmillan lists classmates of 'Basic English' (which, I believe, has a specific definition as a compound noun). There don't seem to be any synonyms.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Mar 1, 2018 at 12:05
  • English for beginners is an expression often used in basic English texts for foreign learners. google.it/…
    – user 66974
    Commented Mar 1, 2018 at 12:53
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    Since 'control' is included in the Basic English word list, I'd guess there isn't a simpler version.
    – Spagirl
    Commented Mar 1, 2018 at 14:43
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    There are s number of controlled languages like Simplified English, developed by AECMA (Association Europeene des Constructeurs de Materiel Aerospatial), and mandated by the Air Transport Association as the world-wide standard for commercial aircraft maintenance manuals. See Chap 7, part 5 here for details.
    – John Lawler
    Commented Mar 1, 2018 at 15:24

2 Answers 2

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Basic English

or

World English,

with their different nuances, are the simplest terms that capture exactly what you are asking about.

Basic English is a selection, a simple subset of English for easy learning, intended to allow good communication early in the learning process.

World English is an attempt to label the common subset of English as spoken around the world by educated non-native speakers.

But there is no single word that captures such a subset. It seems almost impossible to have one given that what you are asking for is a qualification of English.

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If you ever listen to English-speaking expats abroad, the ones that are good communicators intentionally use very simple words with often hilariously simplified grammar. That's

pidgin

: a simplified speech used for communication between people with different languages

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pidgin

Specifically, it's pidgin English.

When people grow up speaking pidgin, it becomes a

creole

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  • Explain the downvotes. Having re-read the question, I stand by my answer.
    – MWB
    Commented May 5, 2018 at 4:59

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