Legal Research

Plain language around plain language

By Wendy Reynolds

The Local Government Association has issued a list of 200 words and phrases banned from communications. Here’s the BBC story. And the full list of banned words is here.

While I doubt that any of us will miss predictors of beaconicity, I do wonder at a few of the selections. “Advocate”, for example - what are we going to use instead. “Ask for” does not lend the same weight.

Already I feel myself wandering down the path trod by colleagues during a plain language course I took a few years ago. (Insert your favourite “lawyers and plain language” joke here). Agreed, there are times when community engagement is impeded by the use of bafflegab, but there are words here that may serve a purpose from time to time.

How can government operate without the word priority? Take the word away, you risk losing the concept, do you not? Welcome made the list. Don’t get that at all. Frankly, I’d like to hear it a little more frequently from government!

Full post as published by Slaw.ca on March 19, 2009 (boomark / email).