Plain Language: A Brief History
The concept of plain language is hardly new. It has been applied to a variety of writing genres, but was likely first applied in the oral tradition. Roman Stoic statesman, philosopher, and dramatist Seneca the Younger Links to an external site. (ca. 4 BCE – 65 CE) argued for a rhetorical style that focused on “clarity, conciseness, and appropriateness."1
Writing about poetry, Edward Hirsch Links to an external site. says that plain style “originated as an informal rhetorical term to characterize speech or writing that is simple, direct, and unambiguous.” During the English Renaissance (late 15th-early 17th centuries), for example, in response to the ornate writing style of their peers, poets like Sir Walter Raleigh and Thomas Nashe adopted the unornamented plain style.
It was not, however, until the early 20th century that the idea of plain language took root more firmly. Twentieth century grammar handbooks and such influential writing style guides as William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White’s The Elements of Style
Links to an external site. (1918; revised repeatedly) and Joseph Williams’ Style: Toward Clarity and Grace
Links to an external site. stress simplicity and clearness of writing. They have done so for a simple reason: if your reader cannot understand what you write, then what you write fails to do its job.
That basic principle becomes even more crucial when applied to documents in the public realm: tax forms, Medicare insurance claims, bills on the ballot for a vote, instructions on how to operate a propane heater or install a saw blade, reports on how to improve pedestrian safety at a busy intersection, and the list goes on.
As a result, since the 1970s, writing practitioners who produce public documents -- and, even more recently, government agencies -- have called for a return to plain language.
So what is the plain language we know today? According to Australian professor and scholar of plain language Robert Eagleson, it is
clear, straightforward expression, using only as many words as are necessary. It is language that avoids obscurity, inflated vocabulary and convoluted sentence construction. It is not baby talk, nor is it a simplified version of the English language. Writers of plain English let their audience concentrate on the message instead of being distracted by complicated language. They make sure that their audience understands the message easily. [2 Links to an external site.]
The Center for Plain Language Links to an external site. indicates that language is plain if the people who are the audience for that communication can quickly and easily
- find what they need
- understand what they find
- act appropriately on that understanding.
Finally, even the American government has gotten in on the act. Its Plain Writing Act of 2010 Download Plain Writing Act of 2010 was created to "improve the effectiveness and accountability of Federal agencies to the public by promoting clear Government communication that the public can understand and use." The government's web site — plainlanguage.gov Links to an external site. (Figure 1.3) — provides an extended definition written material is in plain language if your audience can:
- Find what they need;
- Understand what they find; and
- Use what they find to meet their needs.
Notice that this bulleted list adheres to the CPL’s definition, but actually applies the principle of plain language to the third item so it is easier to understand!
Now that you understand why plain language is important and know a bit about the historical movement, you need to explore how to achieve it in your own writing.
1Auski, Peter. Christian Plain Style: The Evolution of a Spiritual Ideal. London: McGill-Queen's University Press, 1995. 61.