Название: Writing in plain English Автор: Baden Eunson Издательство: Wiley Год: 1996 Формат: pdf Страниц: 201 Размер: 37 Mb Язык: English
Plain English has become an important and controversial topic in the past few years. Although the idea means different things to different people, most would agree that plain English documents are those which are free of jargon and ambiguity. That is, plain English is clear and simple English, a style that allows communication with a large, rather than a restricted, audience.
This does not mean, however, that the plain English approach always involves choosing the shortest, simplest word or sentence: it is about choosing what is appropriate for the reader or readers, the purpose, and the context. In this book we will examine the distortions in meaning that occur when writers employ jargon and other faulty approaches, such as unnecessary wordiness, use of words remote from everyday experience, and ambiguous or confusing expressions. To produce documents that are clearly understandable, however, we also need to consider other factors, such as structure, tone, punctuation, layout, graphic communication, gender and readability, not to mention the planning and testing of documents. All of these factors are considered in Writing in Plain English. These factors are relevant to an extremely broad range of documents — from legal contracts to job instructions, from insurance policies to letters and memos, and from policy statements to forms. It is important to note that the rules for clear communication discussed here are as relevant to spoken expression as they are to written expression. Throughout the book, you will find various activities to help you build your skills. More information about the specific points in the text is contained in numbered endnotes at the back of the book. If you wish to read further still in this area, a large and up-to-date reference list is provided.