Will gobbledegook jargon bite the dust and plain language thrive?

• Author: Andreea S. Calude, Sam Campbell Waikato University
• Published date: 10 September 2022
• Publication title: Weekend Herald

This century-old example is a useful illustration of how “plain language” can be used to communicate more clearly, from everyday interactions to government documents

The Plain Language Bill before Parliament argues comprehensible information from government organisations is a basic democratic right.

The push for simplicityPlain language movements originated in the 1970s in several countries, including Britain, the United States and Canada. And there’s some indication the very first mention of plain language dates back as far as the writings of Geoffrey Chaucer in the 1300s.

However old, these movements strove for clear, straightforward and accessible language in official documents. This is not just a “nice-to-have”. In some cases it can save lives — pandemic instructions, for example.

And there is also an element of linguistic equality: minority, migrant and marginalised communities have more difficulty understanding complex jargon-laden documents, which tip the scales further against them.

What is plain language?There is no single definition of plain language, but the UK and US commonly use one proposed by the International Plain Language Working Group: “A communication is in plain language if its wording, structure, and design are so clear that the intended audience can easily find what they need, understand what they find, and use that information.”

In practice, it is easier to recognise a text written in plain language. But it depends on who is reading it. What may be plain for some, will not be for others. But basic tenets include:

●using concise sentences (15-20 words max)

●positive (not negative) clauses;

●active, not passive voice (“if you break the law” not “if the law is broken”);

●verbs rather than complex nouns (“identify” not “identification”); and

●common words rather than jargon.

Although the principles of plain language are not new, mandating them through New Zealand legislation is.

Aotearoa New Zealand’s Plain Language Bill aims to “improve the effectiveness and accountability of public service agencies and Crown agents, and to improve the accessibility of certain documents that they make available to the public, by providing for those documents to use language that is (a) appropriate to the intended audience; and (b) clear, concise, and well organised”.

The Plain Language BillThe bill before Parliament does not explicitly define plain language beyond this description. We’ll have to wait for the details. If the bill is passed into law...