Text it Easy

Who is plain language for?

It is widely known that plain language aids people with Specific Learning Disorders and mental disabilities. These are, nonetheless, not the only groups that benefit from the popularisation of easy-to-read content. In fact, simplifying certain pieces of text helps everyone.

Does easy-to-read always mean basic?

A common misconception around easy-to-read text is that to simplify the language, you have to sacrifice complex ideas that you want to convey. In reality, the main premise of plain language is to put complicated concepts into simple words.

There are many problems with how we traditionally think about writing. Starting from the primary school, the ability to use long sentences and difficult words is promoted over effective communication. The length of a paper is often more important than its quality. As a result of that, many people have bad habits that lead to unnecessary complications. They, for example:

  • Use redundancies (e.g., “to advance forward” or “artificial prothesis”),
  • Write multiple words when only one is necessary (e.g. “innovative and ground-breaking”),
  • Overuse generalities (e.g., “today’s world is full of challenges”),
  • Use unnecessary jargon (e.g. “leverage” instead of “use”),
  • Write one complex sentence instead of two or three simple ones.

This makes the text longer not better. Even the most complex idea can be conveyed without such tactics.

Where do we especially need plain language?

To demonstrate the usefulness of clear language, we would like you to ask yourself a few questions:

  • Are you always able to read the terms and conditions on a website before agreeing to them?
  • Do you understand every sentence in your rental contract and employment agreement?
  • Is handling administrative matters (e.g. doing taxes) easy to you?

If you answered “no” to at least one of these questions, it is possible that you are suffering from lack of plain language usage in these areas of life. Even if you are using your native language and you don’t have any disabilities, these tasks can be difficult.

The fact that official documents are overly complicated is not only tiring but can also have dire consequences. It discourages people from reading them. Because of that, they don’t always know their rights or don’t realise what they agreed to. This creates a perfect environment for scammers.

Another areas, in which the value of plain language is underestimated, are educational publications and scientific articles. The use of inaccessible language in such papers keeps people from disadvantaged backgrounds from getting education. It is also one of the reasons why people turn to unverified sources of information and are vulnerable to fake-news.

It is not always possible to make a text understandable for everyone. Some publications are made by professionals for professionals and have to use advanced vocabulary. Nonetheless, even the most educated person can benefit from plain language, as long as the content isn’t oversimplified. Easy-to read articles take less energy and give a possibility to use the time effectively.

To sum up

In some areas of life, not being able to understand a text has serious consequences. Some groups are especially vulnerable to such problems. Examples of such communities are:

  • People with Specific Learning Disabilities,
  • People with mental disabilities,
  • People with immigrant backgrounds,
  • Economically disadvantaged people with limited access to education.

That said, wide use of plain language is beneficial for everyone. It can solve everyday problems faced by most people. Easy-to-read text helps to better understand official procedures. It also enables people to access reliable sources of information.

These are some of the reasons why we want to promote plain language. If you want to learn more, we invite you to follow the project’s website. During the life of the project, we will gradually publish useful resources and training materials. We hope that you will find them helpful!

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