Use Plain English

qq1 5
The technique is to spot the unusual word or phrase and use its plain meaning as an aid in revising the sentence. ILLUSTRATION: photo: REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE/FREEPIK

By U Khin Maung (A retired diplomat)

 

Introduction

 

1. Love is so many a splendour thing. Love begets love. Love is blind. All three statements or old sayings use plain and simple English. In this article, I would like to present to you the usefulness of plain and simple English in making a statement or a declaration, so that the reader will understand clearly what it means.
2. In this article, I would like to write down the statements using simpler alternatives as follows: –
– For the sake of clarity, the officialese and the equivalent plain English are used.
“In the event of your being evicted from your dwelling as a result of willfully failing to pay your rent, the council may take the view that you have rendered yourself intentionally homeless and as such, it would not be obliged to offer you alternative permanent housing.”
– Using plain words and splitting the sentence this would become:
If you are evicted from your home because you deliberately fail to pay your rent, the council may decide that you have made yourself intentionally homeless, if this happens, the council does not need to offer you alternative permanent housing.
3. I would like to present to you another example of a plain English guide as follows: –
– Our focus group found this version with 31 out of 35 preferring it. They gave it an average clarity mark of 17 out of 20, as against 12 for the original remarkable show of tolerance towards officialese.
“A hospital wants to resolve the chaos in the car parks by changing parking fees.”
If my proposals are accepted, the income from fees would ensure that car parking could be affected without using money that should be spent on health care.
4. Use simpler alternatives
In this section, for the sake of clarity, the officialese and the equivalent plain English are underlined.
An official is writing to a citizen about a claim for housing benefits.
I am in receipt of information from the citizens’ advice bureau, which I believe is acting on your behalf, with regard to matters appertaining to your benefit claim, will you please furnish the bureau with particulars of your savings.
This becomes –
I have received information from the citizen’s advice bureau, which I believe acting on your behalf, about your benefit claim, will you please give the bureau details of your savings.
A firm’s conditions of service say
Holidays will be taken by mutual agreement after the needs of service have been considered.
Reconstruct the sentences
5. The technique is to spot the unusual word or phrase and use its plain meaning as an aid in revising the sentence.
Examples:
(A) J. Edger Hoover, then head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States, was worried about Piccaso visiting the country (he was said to have the left-wing learnings.) Hoover wrote to a special agent in Paris.
“In the event information concerning Piccaso comes to your attention, it should be furnished to the Bureau in view of the possibility that he may attempt to come to the United States. He might have said.
If you get any information about Piccaso, please tell the Bureau in case he tries to visit the United States.
(B) Use Simpler alternatives
– In the event of your being evicted from your dwelling as a result of willfully failing to pay your rent, the council may take the view that you have rendered yourself intentionally homeless and as such it should not be obliged to offer you the alternative permanent housing. Using plain words and splitting the sentence, this could become.
-If you are evicted from your home because you deliberately fail to pay your rent, the council may decide that you have made yourself intentionally homeless, if this happens, the council does not need to offer you alternative permanent housing.
Reference: Quick Reference Plain English Guide, By Martin Cutts.

Share this post
Hot News
Hot News
Bagan has more than 20 must-see art destinations besides famous pagodas: says MORAC director
Rising transportation cost, increase in cattle price, being close to Thingyan lead to rise in beef price
Myanmar Letwei fighter Thant Zin to miss tonight’s One Championship event due to health emergency
Machine-made brick trade good despite slight decline in price
Bamboo growers on the rise as bamboo products rebound in local and foreign markets
Appointment of Head of Service Organization
59th Gems Emporium to feature pearls, gemstones, and jade sets
Lacquerware Technology College prepares multifaceted welcome for foreign visitors
Chairman of SSMNC receives Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar and party
Myanmar-Russian armed forces exchange honorary medals for further cementing strategic partnership relations, military and civilian technological cooperation