Why do you use the expression: 'the friends'?

[Thesauron]

The interesting thing is:
 
While we still have to endure realize instead of realise... and...
 
  color, flavor, behavior, harbor, honor, humor, labor, neighbor, rumor, splendor  (instead of -our)   the rest of the world has had a win.
 
The Awake and other publications are quoting the metric distance or measurement before the Imperial...
 
Ie, Jesus travellled 5.6km (3.5 miles).
 
It used to be the other way around...
 
Yipper.

The metric system is the most common one. I think only three countries officially use the imperial system - US, Myanmar, and Libera.

[Norbro]

1 minute ago, Thesauron said:

The metric system is the most common one. I think only three countries officially use the imperial system - US, Myanmar, and Libera.

Presumably the imperial system is also used in the UK

[EccentricM]

11 minutes ago, Norbro said:

Presumably the imperial system is also used in the UK

We use a weird mix of both metric and imperial together.

[Thesauron]

Presumably the imperial system is also used in the UK

Yes, but the official system is metric. Both work though.

[Old]

In line with "I didn't start the fire" and still Off Topic:

The US system is called the Customary System for Weights and Measures, it is not an official system designated by United States law, it is though 'customary.' The metric system of weights and measures is officially established by law in the the US as of the Metric Conversion Act of 1975.

The only 'official' system of weights and measures in the US is the metric system.

"... Now we return you to the original broadcast..." Why do you use the expression: 'the friends'?

[Zephyr]

Tomatoes...tamatoes, ketchup, or catsoup 

 

feel free to rip out 5 more pages

[Brother Brother]

2 hours ago, Old said:

"... Now we return you to the original broadcast..." Why do you use the expression: 'the friends'?

Tangential Track Change...

 

🙃

 

HaHa Sorry. My bad.

 

It did relate though.

 

Some Americans don't know there's Americanisms that the rest of the world may not use every day.

 

Like, 'the Friends' and 3.5 miles...

 

 

Edited November 16, 2019 by Brother Brother

[Luigi62]

2 hours ago, Zephyr said:

Tomatoes...tamatoes, ketchup, or catsoup 

 

feel free to rip out 5 more pages

Tom-ma-toe sauce. 😆

[Qapla]

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

In Australia we call ketchup => Tomato Sauce

 

To get back on 'Topic'...

And when we say: "Hand me 'the' sause," we mean Tomato sauce, but it could be BBQ sauce. We would accept American ketchup.

Just Older

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Qapla]

Getting back to "friends"

 

Friends do not let friends put catsup/ketchup/tomato sauce on Hot Dogs!

 

The same holds true for brothers and sisters

[Memeber212]

On 11/11/2019 at 4:53 PM, ijsvogel said:

In Dutch the words brother or sister sounds a bit like a title.

Yes, but they say that Dutch is not a language.

Spoiler

It is speech impediment.

Spoiler

I am sorry, could not resist.

 

[carlos]

On 11/13/2019 at 10:23 PM, Guri said:

I do see it and I know very well why in the USA brothers use word "friends" including GB. I explained few times why I do not use the same way as it is used by some in USA. The thread is called: "Why do you use the expression: 'the friends'?

 

On 11/14/2019 at 1:37 AM, Mykyl said:

Coming from the UK its not the use of the word friends that is the issue its the use of the word "the" in front of it. Sounds like a secret society rather than a term of endearment. Using Our friends or My friends sounds and reads better than The friends to my ears and eyes.

I understand this point. Even being a non-native speaker, to me "the friends" sounds a bit weird, exactly as if it were some title or, as Mike said, a secret society. I don't know why. Saying "our friends" would sound much more natural.

 

How does that same rule work with "brothers"? Does it sound natural to say "the brothers did this or that"? "The brothers wrote in The Watchtower..." "The brothers are using new methods to reach everyone" "The brothers are keeping their integrity despite the persecution". That's the expression that we commonly use in Spanish to refer to our brothers and sisters (the masculine plural includes both brothers and sisters) and sometimes also to refer to the Slave or those who prepare our publications.

 

 

[Luigi62]

5 hours ago, Qapla said:

Getting back to "friends"

 

Friends do not let friends put catsup/ketchup/tomato sauce on Hot Dogs!

 

The same holds true for brothers and sisters

Why not both mustard and tomato sauce 

[Old]

15 minutes ago, Luigi62 said:

Why not both mustard and tomato sauce 

That makes me want to go to Costco, any takers?

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

That makes me want to go to Costco, any takers?

If we go to Costco, I will get THE pizza

(I only put the word 'the' in to make it seem I am still on topic... Pizza with The Friends.)

But I do like their pizza.

Just Older

[Cushi]

I live in the US and never liked the term “the friends.” If we are supposed to die for one another we are more than just friends. Plus, I think it sounds rather corny.

[Thesauron]

I like this passage from this week Watchtower study:

“No other people have a sense of purpose or a bond of love like ours. Just think: We have the privilege of working with people who have the highest moral standards but who are not self-righteous. They are talented but modest, and they consider others superior to them. They view us not only as fellow workers but also as friends. And that bond is so close that they are willing to give their lives for us!”

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2019565

[Tortuga]

On 11/17/2019 at 12:32 PM, Brother Jack said:

I live in the US and never liked the term “the friends.” If we are supposed to die for one another we are more than just friends. Plus, I think it sounds rather corny.

Do most of the friends in your area feel that way?

[Old]

On 11/17/2019 at 12:32 PM, Brother Jack said:

I live in the US and never liked the term “the friends.” If we are supposed to die for one another we are more than just friends. Plus, I think it sounds rather corny.

Christ died for sinners, I think it is beholden to us to die for 'our friends'. 

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

John 15:15 "But I have called you friends"
There is no doubt we are friends. I would be happy to call you all 'my friends'... even currently unknown ones.
It's just down here (Oz), we do not use it as a title, ie 'I'm going to Melbourne to see 'The Friends'.
This is not meant as a slight, or to infer anything.... it's just the habit I (and others here) have developed over the decades.
There are some who like to be edgy and different. I take no offence.
They may introduce Scriptures from the platform as 2 (Two) Kings 8:1
I say "2nd" Kings... (most Broadcasts use this form)...
I know what is meant. I have a habit...
Friends/Brothers are both scriptural terms.
I believe it just shows where we grew up.
I expect in the New System (another old expression), we may still have these variences - even if we all speak one language. (Gen 10:5 vs Gen 11:1)
What a joy it is to share these cultural experiences, like we do right now at the Melbourne IC.
Come visit the Melbourne Assembly Hall and get a warm G'day (welcome)!.

Just Older

[Cushi]

8 hours ago, Bro Richard said:

Do most of the friends in your area feel that way?

I’ve never really talked about it. But one sister told me the same. If we are supposed to die for one another we are more than friends. Also, she has traveled all around the world and she told me in one area (forgot where) that the brothers and sister get offended when they hear “the friends” and she was told not to say it. The brother told her that over there they have been through so much together and they are more than just “friends.”

[Thesauron]

I’ve never really talked about it. But one sister told me the same. If we are supposed to die for one another we are more than friends. Also, she has traveled all around the world and she told me in one area (forgot where) that the brothers and sister get offended when they hear “the friends” and she was told not to say it. The brother told her that over there they have been through so much together and they are more than just “friends.”

To me, a friend is closer than a brother, because ‘brother’ somehow implies a family tie that you didn’t chose. Your friends, though, are yours entirely by you choosing them.

[Old]

When I brought up that I was distressed when so many referred to our brothers and sisters as 'people' not 'brothers and sisters' very few on this forum took note and many refuted the importance of my view and now we are excited about the difference between 'Friends'  and 'Brothers and sisters?  interesting. 

[Thesauron]

When I brought up that I was distressed when so many referred to our brothers and sisters as 'people' not 'brothers and sisters' very few on this forum took note and many refuted the importance of my view and now we are excited about the difference between 'Friends'  and 'Brothers and sisters?  interesting. 

If never heard anyone referring to them as ‘people’. Of course they are people, as such, but to say ‘the people in the congregation’ kind of shows that you are on the outside. There are better words.