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Chapter 7 - Plain English.

Vocabulary Analysis.

These are some words found in the text that you may not be familiar with. Match the words below with the correct meaning from the two choices next to it.

to ban	To make something illegal or stop people using it.	To play music.
obscure	Something everyone knows.	Not well-known.
to coin a phrase	To be the first to use a new word or phrase.	To copyright you company slogan.
jargon	Language used in a specific job and not elsewhere.	A bottle maker.
an acronym	A word formed from a group of letters, like NASA.	A word that is similar to another, like employment and work.
ambiguous	A word or a sentence with two meanings.	Something very large.
to endorse	To make someone obey the law.	To approve or support someone or something.
a utility	Water, electricity or gas companies.	Something used in the kitchen.
complex	Difficult or complicated.	Something very small.
national	Something common to all the people of a country.	Something common to people of the same town.
a premise	A building.	A logical conclusion.
to endorse	To approve and support	To pay for something.

What is the most important premise when we communicate; is it to sound as beautiful and knowledgable as possible or to be understood? Read the passage below. Do you think that the author is over-reacting or does he have a point?

Plain English.

Have you ever received a letter in your own language which you spent an hour trying to understand? The language used was too formal and the meaning was not easily understood. In English these overly formal letters, messages and terms and conditions in contracts have a name, gobbledygook. This phrase was coined by Maury Maverick chairman of the "United States Smaller War Plants Corporation"in 1944. He banned the use of obscure laguage in his company and complained about its use in the New York Times. This began a movement to use plain English.

Plain English is a communication style that avoids the use of jargon, acronyms, technical terms and long ambiguous sentences. It’s emphasis is on the clear communication of information and it being in an easy to understand format.

You may wonder why this is so important? It means when you signed a contract for a job or a loan you really understand what you are signing; or when you contact your council or government or speak to a lawyer that you understand exactly what they are saying.

In the United Kingdom the Plain English Campaign has been fighting for gobbledygook and jargon free communication since 1979. The Plain English campaign introduced the The Crystal Mark. This is a quality symbol which endorses documents as plain English. It was introduced and given to companies that removed complex English from their communications. They have been very successful in changing opinions about gobbledygook and now banks, insurance companies, local and national government, utility companies and police forces have worked to make their communications just plain, simple English.

Questions.

1) Have you received letters which were filled with gobbledygook before?

2) Should gobbledygook, jargon or long sentences have a place in language?

3) Are there any restrictions we should place on the use of such language?

4) Does culture need to change to allow plain language to be accepted?

3) Is it possible to apply plain English to legal documents or terms and conditions?

4) Do you write long sentences in English?

5) How can you apply the principles of plain English to your own work?

8) Do you think it is possible to rewrite important documents in plain English?

Further Discussion.

Below are several examples of gobbledygook. Using dictionaries or the internet work in pairs or a group to try to simplify them. See page 123 for suggested answers.

1) Even marginal modifications made to the merchandise will be costed appropriately in the final gross valuation.

2) This is an obligatory statute of our terms and conditions that cannot be circumvented.

3) The reduced proximity of the extension to the erf boundary is in contravention of the outlined directives that these evaluations are based on in this department.

4) It is axiomatic that such behaviour as creates an agitated or over zealous diatribe or outpouring of vitriol towards members of the company is not acceded to by the directorship. We concur with the authorities that acts of such a disputatious nature should be treated with great distain and appropriate action will be invoked and inforced by the correct powers concluding in your temporary incarceration.

Teacher’s notes:

Chapter 7 – Plain English.

Possible Grammar Points: No specific focus.

Internet Image Search Topics: Crystalmark., confusion, Maury Maverick, tech talk, contract.

Aim: To debunk the myth that complicated sentences are good sentences. To show students that simple polite explanations are a better aid to communication than gobbledegook.

Method:

1) Ask students to do the vocabulary analysis. Answer any questions that arise. Use pictures or look at synonyms to help students to understand the words.

2) Answer the general question before the text.

3) Ask students to read the text. Encourage them to underline any words that are unfamiliar.

4) Before doing the questions go through any words the students don’t know.

5) Answer the questions as a group forum.

6) The further tasks involve simplifying the vocabulary and sentence structure of several gobbledygook texts. Get students to remove unnecessary clauses, change words and rearrange the sentence.

7) Encourage students to simplify the sentences to their basic elements. Ask them to look for the meaning and then re-write the sentences in their own words.

Further Discussion Suggested Answers.

1) Any changes will be charged to the bill.

2) This must be done according to our contract.

3) The house extension is too close to the land boundary and cannot be passed.

4) If you get angry with our staff we will have you arrested

Vocabulary Analysis Answers.

to ban	*To make something illegal or stop people using it.*	To play music.
obscure	Something everyone knows.	*Not well-known.*
to coin a phrase	*To be the first to use a new word or phrase.*	To copyright you company slogan.
jargon	*Language used in a specific job and not elsewhere.*	A bottle maker.
acronym	*A word formed from a group of letters, like NASA.*	A word that is similar to another, like empolyment and work.
ambiguous	*A word or a sentence with two meanings.*	Something very large.
to endorse	To make someone obey the law.	*To approve or support someone or something.*
utility	*Water, electricity or gas companies*.	Something used in the kitchen.
complex	*difficult or complicated.*	Something very small.
national	*Something common to all the people of a country.*	Something common to people of the same town.
premise	A building.	*A logical conclusion*.
to endorse	*To approve and support.*	To pay for something.