How to use plain language to be more inclusive
By Claudio Concha, Director, Digital Strategy
Accessibility
Using plain language doesn’t just improve the clarity of your writing: it’s essential for accessibility, says Claudio Concha.
The zeitgeist of the 2020s is the surge in societies' commitment to remedy the inequalities of our age.
The #MeToo movement and Black Lives Matter protests have paved the way for progress.
The countless discriminations that have festered in our culture for centuries are finally being exposed and addressed.
In this tide of progressive reckoning, accessibility is coming under the spotlight. Now, more than ever, paying attention to the experiences of people with disabilities is paramount.
How we communicate and how we ensure equal access to information and services is shifting from being an ethical concern to a legal requirement.
In the online world, plain language is vital. The USA, Israel, Germany and the EU have all ushered in laws and guidelines on plain language.
Obama's Plain Language Act aimed for greater government transparency and accountability while The International Organization for Standardization started developing plain language standards in 2019, which are due to be released later this year (2020).
What is plain language?
Plain language strives to be easy to read, understand and use. It avoids being wordy and convoluted. It avoids the use of jargon, acronyms and relying too heavily on prior knowledge.
There’s an emerging awareness surrounding inclusiveness and plain language but a lot more needs to be done to enable people with physical and learning needs to comprehend content easily, quickly and clearly.
This must be achieved without resorting to what Dr Robert Eagleson refers to as patronising 'baby talk, or a simplified version of language'.
It’s not about dumbing down: it’s about striving to be as comprehensive as possible.
There are also millions of people with undiagnosed learning needs whose ability to read, write, speak and listen is impaired.
According to the National Literacy Trust 16.4% of adults in England (7.1 million people) have ‘very poor literacy skills’.
This means that they may be able to process short straightforward texts on familiar subjects accurately and independently but reading information from unfamiliar sources or on unfamiliar topics can be extremely challenging. This is also known as being functionally illiterate.
The effect of alienating language on readers can be profound. Not only are people excluded from products and services, poor understanding also compounds low self-esteem.
This in turn can contribute to a progression in mental health problems.
Plain language is also beneficial for communicating with an international audience and people whose first language isn’t English.
“The use of phrasal verbs or two-word verb are often difficult for non-native speakers of English because they are idiomatic; that is, their meanings cannot be derived by knowledge of the individual words.” Linguistics Professor, Emily Thrush
Top five plain language writing tips
Think of the reader and why you are addressing the reader. Ask yourself what words or concepts the person is likely to know already, what tone and amount of detail is suitable and what message they are supposed to get from your information.
Be personal and direct. Don’t be afraid to use ‘we’ for your organisation and ‘you’ for the reader. As much as possible, say who is doing what. For example ‘We will write to you’ instead of ‘A letter will be sent’.
Keep it simple. Avoid using corporate language on the public. It doesn’t serve them or your organisation’s reputation! Avoid other complicated and foreign terms if you can use a plainer alternative to get your message across just as accurately.
Define or spell out any unavoidable jargon and abbreviations. If you must use a technical word because there is no plain alternative to it, define the term the first time you use it. The same applies to abbreviations: spell them out, especially if you intend to use them several times.
Keep sentences to an average of 15 to 20 words. Don't waffle! Think about the point you want each sentence to make and stick to it. Try not to pad out your message with wordy and formal phrases. This just clogs up the flow of communication.
How text looks matters
For readers with dyslexia, low literacy, English as a second language, and those with mild visual impairments, the presentation of text is vital.
Here are some basic pointers.
Avoid anything moving on a page like sliding banners or pop up adds.
Avoid italics or justified text.
Avoid serif fonts.
Allow save and return on forms and ensure ‘time-outs’ on forms are reasonable.
Keep forms simple and clear.
Trouble shoot
Finally, test your content on your targeted users prior to publication.
Claudio Concha, Director, Digital Strategy