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What is Plain Language? Part 5: The Nitty-gritty

Tuesday February 15, 2022

This is the fifth and last in a series of articles discussing the basic principles of plain language by Aaron Dalton. I offer two half-day workshops: the first is all about the why and then we look at some document-level issues like tone. This is the workshop that I am most passionate about and try to get […]

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Illustration of two people's hands pointing at a clipboard with items checked off of a to-do list. Hand-drawn sketches of business symbols (papers, charts, emails, etc.) surround the clipboard.

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Aaron Dalton

What is Plain Language? Part 4: Craftsmanship

Tuesday November 16, 2021

This is the fourth in a series of articles discussing the basic principles of plain language by Aaron Dalton. Most of the writing that happens in an office is stream-of-consciousness. We fire off dozens of quick emails and texts a day with little thought. But the writing we do for external readers requires more care. Effective writing […]

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Aaron Dalton communications literacy plain language writing

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Merel Elsinga

Update on the International Plain Language Standard: An Interview with Gael Spivak

Tuesday October 26, 2021

Gael Spivak, a previous president of Editors Canada, works in-house for the federal government as a writer and editor. Part of her job is her involvement in creating an international plain language standard for the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). At the Editors Canada conference on June 13, 2021, Gael gave us an update on […]

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communications editing standards Gael Spivak interview Merel Elsinga plain language writing

Illustration of a large arrow pointing to the right in a crowd of smaller arrows pointing to the left, signifying going against the flow. (godruma © 123RF.com)

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Aaron Dalton

What is Plain Language? Part 3: When You Assume …

Tuesday October 12, 2021

This is the third in a series of articles discussing the basic principles of plain language by Aaron Dalton. You’re preparing a speech for a community association. You disagree with a particular policy, but you moderate your language because you “know” that most people disagree with you. What nobody realizes, though, is that actually, most people disagree […]

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Aaron Dalton communications literacy plain language writing

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Aaron Dalton

What is Plain Language? Part 2: Reading is a Skill

Tuesday August 31, 2021

This is the second in a series of articles discussing the basic principles of plain language by Aaron Dalton. Defining literacy Literacy is not just about being able to read and write; it’s also about being able to understand and use what you read. In an earlier blog post, I mentioned a standardized measure called […]

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Aaron Dalton communications literacy plain language writing

Illustration of a person typing. A text-based document is on the screen, and letters, numbers and symbols float outside the monitor.

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Aaron Dalton

What Is Plain Language? Part 1: A Definition

Tuesday June 22, 2021

This is the first in a series of articles discussing the basic principles of plain language that I’ve found successful in my teaching. These principles may not be new to my fellow editors. Perhaps some material here will be useful in your own educational efforts. My experience is with non-fiction, mostly technical, writing. I would […]

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Aaron Dalton communications plain language

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Aaron Dalton

The Ethical Imperative for Plain Language

Tuesday September 10, 2019

I used to speak of plain language in terms of it being “the right thing to do” and also the most effective thing to do from a utilitarian perspective (i.e., it gets results). But then I came across Russell Willerton’s book Plain Language and Ethical Action: A Dialogic Approach to Technical Content in the 21st […]

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Aaron Dalton ethical editing ethics ethics of editing in-house editor plain language plain language editing

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Dwain Richardson

English Editing in Quebec: Has Quebec Caught on to Plain Language?

Tuesday January 19, 2016

“What is plain language?” you may ask. In a nutshell, plain language communicates concepts and ideas clearly, concisely and effectively. This is done by thinking about the projected target audience: the readers. When you write clearly, you avoid using jargon that only select people know. You also avoid verbiage and overly complex ideas. Contrary to […]

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Dwain Richardson English Editing in Quebec plain language

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Aaron Dalton

Language Resources for Non-Native English Speakers

Tuesday May 7, 2019

I teach plain language workshops, and I was recently approached by a non-native English speaker. His language skills were excellent. He said he learned English mostly through standardized exams, and he felt there was a gap between the mode of English he was taught and the plain language approach I was preaching. His question was […]

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Aaron Dalton active listening language language learning learning non-native English speakers plain language practice

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Julie Morin

Emerge From the Shadows via the Our Languages Blog

Tuesday September 26, 2017

“If only I could rewrite this text!” If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably had a similar reaction, especially if your clients are looking for a “soothing” edit. You know the kind I mean: one that doesn’t involve any changes beyond sprinkling a few commas here and there… I spent almost 10 years fixing language […]

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blog blogging Julie Morin The Language Portal of Canada The Our Languages blog