An important point to make is that this plain language movement is
intended for business writing. This new way to think about writing is for companies
to avoid spending millions of dollars on a comma, like Rogers. For all the
prose writers and academics out there, this is a great way to mean what you say
when you need to, but when you want to get creative, plain language rules apply
only in the clear presentation of that creativity.
Wordsmithassociates.com has a great quote on the front page of their
site explaining just this point. The sum it up nicely explaining plain-language
is “writing that is direct and engaging, simple and clear.” (Wordsmith Associates, 2009)
In 2010 the US Federal Government created the Plain Writing Act. It
requires all government officials to write using the plain-language rules. This
includes all forms and publicly distributed documents. The law ensures that
anyone looking for federal information
will find documents to be “clear, concise, well-organized.” (Center For Plain Language, NY)
This demonstrates very well how Plain writing was intended to be used.
When people are searching for information, they can find it and there is no question
as to what the meaning behind the words.
So why take all this extra effort?
The United States National Insinuates of Health has outlined some
benefits of plain-language writing.
1.
Saves time,
and therefore;
2.
Saves money
3.
Improves
reader response
4.
Avoids
barriers between knowledgeable writers and those reading
(National
Institutes of Health)
I rather enjoyed the article by the NIH, they summed it up nicely and
the picture included will make anyone chuckle.
Image Source: http://www.nih.gov/clearcommunication/lmedia/plainenglish.gif
Bibliography:
Center For Plain Language. (NY). Plain
Writing Act of 2010. Retrieved from Center For Plain Language:
http://centerforplainlanguage.org/resources/plain-writing-laws/plain-writing-act-of-2010/
National Institutes of Health. (n.d.). Plain
Language at NIH. Retrieved from National Institutes of Health:
http://www.nih.gov/clearcommunication/plainlanguage/index.htm
Wordsmith Associates. (2009). Wordsmith
Associates. Retrieved from Wordsmtih Associates: http://wordsmithassociates.com/index.html
