The sec s staff has created this handbook to help speed and smooth the transition to plain english. Plain language presents an idea in the clearest way that the idea will allow. These days the meaning of the term has expanded to include the ability to use language, numbers. Plain language is grammatically correct language that includes complete sentence structure and accurate word usage. Plain language corporate communication made simple. Many lawyers are now adopting a plain english style. Church history lesson 1 the church commences to about ad 177 acts 1. We at the department of health and human services are committed to writing all of our new documents in plain language, starting october 2011. We made the formatting more consistent in section v test. Any question of statutory interpretation begins with looking at the plain language of the statute to discover its original intent. We have not made any substantive changes in revision 1.
About 79% of users scan new pages they come across. But what may be understandable to one person may not be to another, so lets delve into guidelines that will help our writing be considered plain english or plain language. The fair debt collection practices act as amended by pub. It was the dominant reference for home cooks in much. Summaries of clinical trial results for laypersons 26 january 2017 6 6. Virginia has made this packet available to viewers of the plain language action network and others interested in improving their power of expression. Two sentries brought a limping, bleeding soldier to the king. President clinton formalized the requirement in june 1998 with a presidential memorandum. Action officer the army and sister services use the term, action officer to refer to a staff member staffer.
Manuals, references, and other training resources edit plain language. France, italy, great britain, austria, belgium and the netherlands are served by local partners. Answer guide 4 your biggest decision and one that is a good idea to make first is whether you want original medicare parts a and b or a medicare advantage plan. Made plain 1964 and a mouthful of air 1992, as well as other art. Especially english, by anthony burgess william morrow. The summary should remain factual and objective, avoiding any promotional language see neutral language guidance in annex 2 or promotional perception through formatting or tone3. They are not, like grammar, matters of right and wrong, but are matters of. Because we are all individuals, we will all have our own thoughts on what that. Traditionally, literacy was the ability to read and write a little bit.
Plain language toolkit pdf refer to this toolkit as a quick guide to using plain language. In keeping with the letter and the spirit of the law, the fcc is committed to writing new documents in plain language using the federal plain language guidelines. Language, as described above, is speciesspecific to human beings. We fixed the footer, corrected a few misspelled words, and modified our choice of words to be more concise. Answer guide 4 your biggest decision and one that is a good idea to make first is whether you want original. President bush, in his turn, has called for plain speaking. Buy language made plain revised edition by burgess, anthony isbn. This article provides a brief history of the plain legal language movement, discusses the advantages and disadvantages of using plain language to write legal documents, and examines attitudes to plain legal language. The actual enumeration shall be made within three years after the first meeting of the congress of the united states, and within every subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct. In 1964, burgess published a laymans introduction to linguistics, language made plain. Lsss wrong again about plain language joseph kimble. As jack stark acknowledged in his most recent foray, many statutory drafters. Carleton prof creates plainlanguage guide for getting. Plain language office of disease prevention and health promotion.
Medical terms in plain english health medicare pdfs. At cdc, we use plain language, not just plain writing. Modern english macbeth school district 43 coquitlam. Also, we received the 2017 grand clearmark award in collaboration with the consumer financial protection bureau. The compleat confectioner, or, the whole art of confectionary. Language made plain, 1st edition by burgess, anthony, author 5. Fair debt collection practices act federal trade commission. The language of a clockwork orange coventry university. Carleton prof creates plainlanguage guide for getting government aid. These are the amendments in language that we can understand. Plain language plain language for the legal assistantpreparing enclosure letters by susan mcintyre egal assistants are often asked to prepare enclosure letters to send pleadings or other documents to the client, other interested parties, or other counsel in a case. The plain writing act of 2010 pdf required the agency to use plain writing in all documents covered by the law as of oct.
They cover the same basic services, but work very differently. Pdf linguistic analysis of english phraseology and plain. Burgess later incorporated most of language made plain into the first half of a mouthful of air. Language, would then, become something that was initially produced by humans but then evolves to a new system of communicationone that. This concise book provides an easytoread guide to church history with intellectual substance. Maybe you remember that line made famous in the movie cool hand luke, what we have here is a failure to communicate. Language made plain by anthony burgess is a brief overview of the field of linguistics. It attempts to be free of cliches and needless technical jargon, and should be appropriate to the audiences developmental or educational level and their familiarity with the topic. My first sense was that on some level i had written it. The question, then, is how the properties of human language got their start. The a to z guide to legal phrases plain english campaign. Readability and use of plain language sentences should be kept short and succinct. General services administration is committed to writing all of our new and substantially revised documents and public web content in plain language. Our websites follow the best practices in web design and.
Without dealing specifically with any one language, it provides an introduction to semantics, phonetics, and the development of language. Cdc follows the federal plain language guidelines external icon and uses the clear communication index to assess and improve our public communication materials. Plain language is just as important when we speak as when we write. Plain language at nih external icon national institutes of health nih has established the clear communication initiative that focuses on achieving health literacy objectives. The eight plain language rules exercises to illustrate plain language principles when drafting legislation what is legalese. At the same time, the incentives to master drafting are greater than in general legal writing. Having launched it originally in 2004 we have now updated it with modern terminology to meet with the increasing demand for the book. Buy language made plain by anthony burgess online at alibris. The bill of rights is the first ten amendments to the united states constitution. Faa plain language course take a onehour plain language course online that includes practice exercises. It includes proven tips from those in the private sector who have already created plain english disclosure documents. If youre thinking about advertising on the internet, remember that many of the same rules that apply to other forms of advertising apply to.
Federal government richard lauchman plain language. In a way, you have to admire someone who has spent almost two decades campaigning against plain language unsuccessfully and who still carries on. The situation was made even worse by the governments decision. Making the transition from ten codes to plain language. Plain language, according to nims, is the use of common terms and definitions that can be understood by individuals from all responder disciplines.
To discover a statutes original intent, courts first look to the words of the statute and apply their usual and ordinary meanings. Other members of the animal kingdom have the ability to communicate, through vocal noises or by other means, but the most important single feature characterizing human language that is, every individual language, against every known mode of animal communication, is its infinite productivity and creativity. This task is so routine that the question of plain language may never have been. Pdf as the enac organises english training for frances air traffic. Pdf plain language is a form of intralingual translation, a process during which particular interventions are brought to bear on a complex text, such. The specialized language of the legal profession1 language containing an excessive amount of legal terminology or of legal jargon2 the language used by lawyers that is difficult for. Anthony burgess is perhaps best known for a clockwork orange, and alongside his wealth of novels, he also published critical studies, wrote screenplays, and delved into nonfiction, as. It includes how information is organized and displayed within a space, such as the use of white space, fonts, active instead of passive voice for instructions, design elements, and colour. Plain language is a clear writing style designed to be easy to read and understand by the intended audience. The language and structure of contracts is inherently more limited and stylized than that of, say, an appellate brief, and so can be more readily mastered, given suitable reference sources. Estc t69536 also available in digital form on the library of congress web site.
It includes proven tips from those in the private sector who have already created plain. Plain language focuses on ways of writing a text so that it is clear, concise, pertinent, efficient, and flows well for the reader. Established by the secretary of homeland security, nims only requires plain language for mutual aid scenarios, though it strongly encourages the use of plain language during dayto. Plain language planner plppc pdf icon external icon. Language will still always be what makes us human, but it may also become the tool that allows machines to communicate, express needs and wants, issue directives, create, and produce through their own tongue. Federal plain language guidelines, march 2011, rev. Plain language is not unprofessional writing or a method of dumbing down or talking down to the reader. Ic clear international consortium for clear communication certificate program. Plain language europe is a network of communication agencies that was founded in 2005 by bureau taal in amsterdam. The compleat confectioner, or, the whole art of confectionary made plain and easy.
I became a student of a course in miracles in 1984. Also known as clear language, plain language uses a style of writing that is. Plain language approaches each of these issues in a unique and fairly defined way. Plain language is not unprofessional writing or a method of dumbing down or talking down to the reader writing that is clear and to the point helps improve communication and takes less time to read and understand. But about 10 years ago burgess revised, rewrote and expanded and renamed his book a mouthful of. The guide is an important resource that will help to create a much greater understanding of. Because brave macbeth how well he deserves that name. Pdf plain language as alternative textualisation researchgate. The goal of the standardized emergency code project is to encourage all texas hospitals and health systems to use plain language alerts in the event of an emergency in lieu of hospitalspecific color codes. But there are still legal phrases that baffle nonlawyers. This az pocket guide to understanding financial terms is just one of the achievements of ebss partnership with nala.
An enthralling study of how languages are related to one anothe. I relied on several noted authorities in making the plain language changes to your contract. Language made plain by anthony burgess fantastic fiction. The number of representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty thousand, but each state shall have at least one. Their page on plain language has information about training and links to plain language resources. Finally, it considers plain language drafting techniques and presents an example of traditional writing made plain. Easylanguage is an easytolearn, but powerful, computer programming language for creating technical in dicators and trading strategies for the tradestation trading platform. The plain language action and information network plain is a community of federal employees. Written in 1747, hannah glasses 17081770 the art of cookery made plain and easy represents one of the most important references for culinary practice in england and the american colonies during the latter half of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th. Army training and doctrine command headquartered at fort monroe, virginia has made this packet available to viewers of the plain language action network and others interested in improving their power of expression. A considerable expansion of a book burgess published 30 years ago language made plain, a mouthful of air has the fervent but erratic pedagogical intent of acquainting a general. It was familiar to me but without my knowing what it was going to say. If anthony burgess were turned upside down and briskly shaken, the heap of objects that fell out of his pockets would much resemble this book.
The new edition of church history in plain language promises to be the new standard for readable church history. Obviously, it couldnt have been a bunch of cavemen sitting around and deciding to make up a language, since in order to do so, they would have had to have a language to start with. In addition to professors kimble and pinker, the following resources support the changes i made all these materialsex cept for garners aba journal article, avail. I relied on several noted authorities in making the plainlanguage changes to your contract. Plain writing at the fcc federal communications commission. Plain english or laymans terms is language that is intended to be clear and concise. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Covid19 information by and for people with disabilities. Who made the grade 2014 federal plain language report card.
The report card is an annual report card for federal agencies evaluated by the center for plain language. Easylanguage is an easytolearn, but powerful, computer programming language for creating technical indicators and trading strategies for the tradestation trading platform. The federalist papers in modern language freedom school. Plain language saves money, increases efficiency, and reduces the need for clarification. The power of simple words video watch this short video to better understand the importance of plain language. Includes contemporary developments related to the spread of the gospel. Language made plain by anthony burgess book cover, description, publication history.
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