Chapter Seven
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x Use familiar words and phrasings, i.e., use smaller words and
sentences.
x Convert levels of sentence hierarchy into bullet lists, check boxes, etc.
x Create a step-by-step pattern to the document.
x Avoid using too many nouns.
x Eliminate extra words and unnecessary details.
x Use active voice and direct address.
x Avoid foreign words, jargon, and specialized terms. If you must use
specialized terms, explain them.
x Match the reading grade level to your audience. The average
American’s reading level proficiency is generally considered to be^ fifth
to seventh grade.Although universal readability is hampered by subjective considerations
such as cultural context, these techniques create a standard of readability
that is as objective as one might hope for. For example, reading grade
levels for written materials are determined by one of a number of tests
used by plain language experts. Using this test-based metric as a reference
point, the application of the other methods works to improve the
readability of written material by lowering the reading grade level. What
follows is an explanation of how these techniques improve readability
from the plain language translator perspective and some thoughts
regarding the techniques from the cognitive linguistic viewpoint.
Transcend recommends “Keep it short – short words, short sentences,
short paragraphs, and short documents. Consumer publications should
average twelve words per sentence.”
Although not noted by plain language translators, short words are more
likely to be basic level terms – words that invoke a clear mental picture
and arise from a common cultural or social experience, not from specialist
categorization. For example, children in America are introduced to the
words “cat” and “dog” as basic level terms. “Mammal,” however, is not a
basic level term, even though “bird” is. Once basic level terms are learned,
they become the building blocks to superordinate and subordinate level
terms^ (Taylor 2003, Lakoff 1987).
For most people the term “plaintiff” is a term that needs to be defined
in basic level terms. To those versed in the law, “plaintiff” is a recognizable
concept that is sufficiently defined to work.^8 Law practitioners know that a
(^8) I have sometimes wondered if the constant use of some terms by specialists might
just make those terms work as if they were basic terms. While I doubt that the
word “plaintiff” evokes an image of a stick figure representation or other prototype
image, such as Lakoff suggests for certain basic words, such as “mother” or “bird”,
that operate as prototypes (Lakoff 1987), I have found it interesting that law school