Origin of the Plain English Movement

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Author: Sunitha Anupkumar

Plain English – The Remedy of Six Rules

“The finest language is mostly made up of simple unimposing words,” says novelist George Elliot.  This holds good in almost every walk of life. Be it literature, science, law or medicine. This is why R K Narayan’s “Swami and Friends” a novel known as much for its simplicity as for the lovable little protagonist, is enjoyed by generations of readers. In science too, it is considered that your understanding of a concept is directly proportional to how well you can explain it in simple, plain language.

What is Plain English?

Plain English (more broadly known as Plain Language) is a term used for communication style that aims at presenting thoughts in a clear, simple and plain manner. This is a style that is not spiced up with jargons or clichéd phrases. As the famous quote by Anatole France goes, “The finest words in the world remain as just vain words if you can’t understand them.”

Remedy of six rules

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Contrary to popular belief, the Plain English Movement is not a recent phenomenon. It started as early as 1924 when the famous novelist George Orwell listed down his “Remedy of Six Rules” for young writers to follow.

The rules are:

1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech that you are used to seeing in print.
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.

Recent Developments in the Plain English Movement

Both government and private firms across the world are coming together in support of the Plain English Movement. The use of plain English is recommended in any form of public communication like pamphlets, forms, legal documents, contracts and more. In fact, in 1999 the “Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts” regulation was introduced by the UK government, which mandates the use of plain language in legal documents. US President, Mr. Obama too has signed the “Plain Writing Law” which emphasizes the need for the government documents to be written in a language that is “clear, concise, well organized and follows other best practices appropriate to the subject or field and intended audience.”

Such is the relevance of plain English in our everyday life that an inquiry into the London bombings of 2005 has suggested that the emergency services should use Plain English and not resort to jargons.

Crystal mark for clarity

Hence, it is no wonder that more and more organizations are coming forward in support of the Plain English Movement. Here are a few websites dedicated to this cause. The Plain English Campaign started by Chrissie Maher, is an independent organization fighting against jargon, gobbledygook and other confusing language. They are renowned for providing their own “Crystal Mark” to any form of document or website, which they feel, has endorsed plain English.

Chillibreeze and the Plain English cause

Chillibreeze too is doing its bit to promote the Plain English Movement. The Plain English Editing Service is a step in this direction. Chillibreeze also offers a free eBook, ‘A Quick Guide to Plain English’ to help writers and editors understand the nuances of writing a plain and simple copy. Professionals from various fields are getting together to campaign for the use of plain English in their respective fields, be it teaching or science or business communications. So let’s all join hands and take a vow to pave way for jargon-free, simple and crystal clear communication in English. Let’s keep it “Plain” Folks!

About the Author

Sunitha Anupkumar, a voracious reader herself, is an aspiring writer currently working with a leading multinational software company in Chennai. Armed with a post graduate degree in Physics from IIT-Madras, years of corporate experience and a passion for writing, she aims at working on projects that would involve technical writing, content writing and editing. She also has a keen interest in writing for children, book reviews and blogging.

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1. Plain English Movement – The Flag Bearers
2. Plain English in Legal Writing
3. Use of Plain English in Writing Reports
4. Does Plain English Kill Creativity?
5. The Importance of Plain English in Corporate Communication

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