Dispelling the myths of plain language

I admit I love grammar. In fact, it's the reason I do what I do. I'm a writer, copyeditor and aspiring author. But that doesn't mean I bask in the glow of my own glory. I'm fallible. I'm always seeking constructive criticism from my peers. And above all, I know I don't serve my own needs, I serve those of the reader. That's why plain language is so important. Let's embrace grammar not for its prescriptive elements but for the value it brings to language. What does plain language mean? I found an excellent resource on the Public Works and Government Services Canada linguistic databank website that gives a great explanation.


Here's what plain language isn't:

Myth 1: Plain language equals dull writing. Not true.
The plain in plain language doesn’t mean boring. It means clear and direct, as in the plain truth. The fact is, plain language is active, clear and more understandable than messages fraught with verbose and flowery style.


Myth 2: Plain language dilutes content. Many people fear that simple words and short sentences will dumb down a complex message. Not so. Plain language is the best and sometimes the only way to communicate complex ideas to a general audience.


Myth 3: Writers who use plain language risk insulting educated, literate readers. There's no need to dwell on this misconception. No one, regardless of their reading level, likes to wade through jargon and superfluous copy to extract meaning from a document.


What plain language is:

Plain language has everything to do with the reader. Documents written in plain language are specifically composed, drafted and edited  to meet the reader’s needs. Writers who are insecure and want to inflate themselves by producing official-sounding words and phrases are actually hiding behind the ambiguity of their craft. The end result is a message that doesn't resonate with the audience. Writers musk ask themselves, "Who are my readers," "What is their reading ability," "What do they need or want to know," "What do I want them to do after they read my message," and "What are the benefits to my reader?"  Answering those questions, then choosing appropriate structure, vocabulary and style, is the only way to write a message that suits its audience.


Plain language examples:

Don't write	Substitute
for the purpose of	for
of a scientific nature	scientific
significant	big, large
not often	rarely
in order to	to
allow	let
has the ability to	can

For more information you can visit the putting it plainly site.