the simple life: using plain and controlled language to improve translation quality and consistency

A Plain Language Primer

Applied Interlinguistic Principles

A Plain Language Toolbox

Applications and Examples4

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2

1

“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do. ”

- Thomas Jefferson

What is “Plain Language”?

Communication the audience can understand the first time it is read

Language that is plain to one set of readers may not be plain to others

Plain language is defined by results—it is easy to read, understand, and use

1 - A Plain Language Primer

What isn’t Plain Language?

Baby talk or an attempt to be playful or PC

Stripping out necessary technical and legal information

Editorial polishing and clean-up

Easy


Plain language examples


Original Plain Language

Counsel LawyerEquilibrium Balance

Restrained/enjoined from Must notWrit of possession Eviction order

Lessor/Lessee Landlord/TenantExempt property Protected income/assets

Renal KidneyStatutory Legal, by law

To warrantTo declare true; make

legally binding

Milestones in the movement

o 1970 Plain English movement starts as a grassroots campaign to fight “gobbledygook,” i.e., legalese, small print and bureaucratic language

o 1978 Carter issues Executive Order on plain language

o 1982 British government issues White Paper ordering Plain language for the 1st time

o 1998 Clinton creates PLAN


Milestones in the movement, cont.

o 1998 EC Commission EN translators found Fight the Fog

EC Translation Service writes How to write clearly

o 1999 Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations

o 2010 Plain Writing Act requiring US federal agencies to use plain language in all covered documents


Why is PL important for translators?

o Cuts bloat shorter, simpler text cuts down expansion factor in other languages (average of 25% out of EN)

o Strategic vocabulary selection prevents interlinguistic pitfalls (faux amis, semantics, implicature, etc.)

o Countries with multiple official languages and simultaneous drafting are more susceptible to unclear writing


2009 EC Commission survey


PL and translation

The problem!Very few writers have translatability in mind when drafting their

documents

BUTIn a multilingual

context, this is an extremely

important issue.1 - A Plain Language Primer

EU language drafting trends


EU language drafting trends, cont.


PL made simple

o No one wants to waste a lot of time trying to translate difficult, wordy documents

Eliminate barriersCommunicate effectively

LESS IS MORE!


“If you can't explain something simply, you don't understand it well. ”

- Albert Einstein

The problem with translation…

2 - Applied Interlinguistic Principles

o Linguistically equivalent notions may get lost (especially in legal, bureaucratic contexts!)

Translation metalanguage covers all facets and implications, but can be incomprehensible to the reader

o Interlinguistic mediation requires the accommodation of linguistically and culturally dependent elements

Equi-legitimate translations sacrifice readability

How PL can help translations


o PL requires a concrete—rather than abstract—message

Forces translators to avoid ad verbum translations

o Helps minimize negative transfer False friends, jargon, and borrowing displace the burden of comprehension from the translator to the reader

Plain Language

Structural & Functional Linguistic ElementsTextual

purpose and analyses

Equivalence shiftMeaning

Discourse register

Translator becomes interpreter


PL obstacles: Faux amis


FF What’s wrong What’s right?

élaborer elaborate“to elaborate”

means “to go into detail”

draft, develop, produce

respecter respect “to respect” means “to value or honor” comply with, meet

opportunité opportunity “opportunity” means “chance” advisability

attribuer attribute to “attribute to” means “help” allocate to, assign to

prévu foreseen “foreseen” means “predicted”

provided for, planned

PL obstacles: “Euro jargon” and “Euro-speak”


o Euro jargon:Language used by insiders/specialists that cannot always be understood by outsiders (comitology, habilitation, European construction, etc.)

o Euro-speak:Potentially useful language coined to describe EU inventions/concepts with no exact parallel at the national level (subsidiarity, codecision, convergence, economic and social cohesion)

PL obstacles: Jargon, cont.


o Try to avoid jargon or make it explicit via definitions, in less abstract terms

Remember!Linguistically equivalent notions often have different connotations in different languages/locales

PL obstacles: A historical example


Treaty of Versailles:o “legal or equitable interests” (EN) translated

as “droits et intérêts légitimes” (FR)

o EN corresponds to a well-established legal concept in the US/UK, while there is no definite legal idea in French

PL obstacles: A historical example, cont.


Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties:o Codifies procedure with a possible recourse

to the original language when meaning cannot be removed by ordinary interpretation

“the meaning which best reconciles the texts, having regard to the object and purpose of the treaty, shall be adopted” (Art. 33, para. 4 VCLT)

A major linguistic challenge!


o It is very difficult to make a good joke in a foreign language (subtle humor, irony, etc.)

o PL is a similar challenge:How to convey linguistic subtleties with limited vocabulary and grammar?

o How can we avoid BSE (“bad simple English”)?

When EN is a lingua franca


o There is a new audience of non-native English speaking professionals using EN as a lingua franca

Any alteration in style is more than compensated by an improvement in clarity and readability

o Translators need to examine the “big picture” of EN-language communication => communication is king

Interlinguistic dilemmas


o English is a relatively simple grammatical language to begin with

o Grammatical and lexical differences between languages entail shifts in register

PL is based on “dynamic equivalence”Pragmatic transference aimed at the receiving audience

Expected shifts


o Shift in structureChange in grammatical concept

o Shift in classChange in part of speech (ex. denominalization)

o Shift in unit or rankBreaking sentences apart

o Shift in terminologyNon-corresponding terms

Shift in structure


o EN favors S-V-O structure, using short sentences without embedded clauses

o NL tends to “frontally overload” sentences (reverse EN flow)

o Ambiguous modifiers/subjects in non-EN

o Subjunctive is virtually non-existent in EN (constitutes 10% of constructions in IT legal texts!)

Shift in class


o EN is more active, favoring verbs that are otherwise nominalized in Romance Languages

o EN can juxtapose adverbs (“amazingly slowly”), which is impossible in many other languages

o Prepositional and phrasal verbs are extremely commonplace in EN

Shift in unit or rank


o DE is infamous for its use of nested sentences, involved periods (Schachtelsatz)

o Finnish favors more impersonal expressionsExtensive use of direct address could be perceived as officious & patronizing

o Legal ES (ES) still contains remnants of archaic and rigid structures inherited from style under the dictatorship

Shift in terminology


o Gender vs. gender-neutral writingEN is generally*** a gender-neutral language

o Inherent hierarchical and structural differences

FR has 2 terms: “cour” and “tribunal” for 1 equivalent EN term

o Sublanguages/locales (DE for DE, CH, AT, etc.)

Antidote for translator myopia?


“Writing clear language can be difficult…sincemuch of the subject matter is complex andmore and more is written in English by (andfor) non-native speakers, or by native speakerswho are beginning to lose touch with theirlanguage after years working in a multilingualenvironment.”

- European Commission Directorate-General for Translation, English Style Guide

“I believe more in the scissors than I do in the pencil. ”

- Truman Capote

PL reminders for translators

3 - A Plain Language Toolbox

o Eliminate the passive voice where possible

o Keep prepositional phrases concise

o Eliminate unnecessary modifiers

o Avoid circumlocutions or intentional ambiguity

PL strategies for translators


o Opt for translations with Latin word roots, which will be accessible to a wider audience

beschleunigern >> translate as “expedite” rather than “speed up”

o Avoid unnecessary preambles it is interesting to note that…it may be recalled that…it is important to add that…

PL strategies for translators, cont.


o Abstract words are a barrier to understanding (several nouns + adjective)

“implementing a skills mix adjustment”“negative economic growth” (recession)

o Beware of language-specific trapsTranslating JP “tadashi” with a fragment in EN (“provided, however, that”)

PL takeaways


o Field – subject matter

o Tenor – author and intended reader

o Mode – form of the text

o Presupposition – assumed prior knowledge of the audience

Readability and assessment tools


o Reading Effectiveness Tool(http:www.eastendliteracy.on.ca)

Assign grade level

o PMOSE/IKIRSCH Document Readability FormulaRating scale inclusive of non-prose documentation (labels, signage, etc.)

o SMOG Online Calculator

PL resources: General


o PLAIN (http://www.plainlanguage.gov)How to guidesBefore and after examples

o Plain Language Network Association International (http://plainlanguagenetwork.org)

Language for law, business, scienceDead words list

PL resources: General glossaries


o The A-Z of Alternative Words (http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/files/alternative.pdf)

o Plain English Lexicon(http://clearest.co.uk/files/PlainEnglishLexicon.pdf)

Includes terms, alternatives, grade levels, commentary, and caveats

PL resources: Health glossaries


o Plain Language Thesaurus for Health Communications (http://www.nphic.org/files/editor/file/thesaurus_1007.pdf)

o PRISM Readability Toolkit(http://www.grouphealthresearch.org/capabilities/readability/readability_home.html)

o Michigan Library Plain Language Medical Dictionary(http://www.lib.umich.edu/plain-language-dictionary.com)

PL resources: Legal and financial glossaries


o Glossary of EU jargon (http://www.lga.gov.uk/lga/core/page.do)(http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/glossary/)

o Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary(http://www.nolo.com/dictionary/)

o A Plain Language Handbook: How to Create Clear SEC Disclosure Documents(http://sec.gov/pdf/handbook.pdf)

“Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated

simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. ”

- Charles Mingus

4 - Applications and Examples

Example 1 – Legalese

“Lawyers have two common failings. One is that they do not write well and the other is that they think they do.”- Carl Felsenfeld, Attorney and Law Professor


Legalese: Before and after

Before AfterI give, devise and bequeath all the rest, residue and remainder of my property of every kind and description (including lapsed legacies and devises) wherever situated and whether acquired before or after the execution of this Will, absolutely in fee simple, to my Trustee hereinafter named. This trust shall be known as "Trust B" and shall be held, administered and distributed as follows:

I give the rest of my estate to my Trustee, who is named below. This trust shall be known as The Sampler Family Trust. The trustee shall hold, manage and distribute the remaining trust property as follows:


Legalese: Before and after, cont.

Before AfterI give, devise and bequeath all the rest, residue and remainder of my property of every kind and description (including lapsed legacies and devises) wherever situated and whether acquired before or after the execution of this Will, absolutely in fee simple, to my Trustee hereinafter named. This trust shall be known as "Trust B" and shall be held, administered and distributed as follows:

I give the rest of my estate to my Trustee, who is named below. This trust shall be known as The Sampler Family Trust. The trustee shall hold, manage and distributethe remaining trust property as follows:

Passiveto

Active

Redundant

Redundant

Jargon


Example 2 – Financial

“Plain English is like pornography. It’s hard to define, but you know it when you see it.”

- Nancy Smith, SEC Senior Official


Financial: Before and after

Before AfterThese securities have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission nor has the Commission passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission, nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved these securities, or determined if this Prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.


Financial: Before and after, cont.

Before AfterThese securities have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission nor has the Commission passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission, nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved these securities, or determinedif this Prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

Passiveto

ActiveJargon

Abstractions


Example 3 – Medical

“Now, Doc, I can take it. Tell me in plain English what is wrong with me.”

“Well, in plain English, you’re just lazy.”

“Okay, now give me the medical term so I can tell my wife.”


Medical: Before and after

Before AfterDuring the birth process, a baby’s eyes may be contaminated during the birth with organisms that are shed from the cervix and vagina. This can cause a condition known as conjunctivitis. If this conjunctivitis goes untreated, it can rapidly lead to blindness.

During birth, a baby’s eyes can get infected with bacteria from the cervix and the vagina. This can cause a condition called conjunctivitis. If this injection is not treated, it can quickly lead to blindness.


Medical: Before and after, cont.

Before AfterDuring the birth process, a baby’s eyes may be contaminated during the birth with organisms that are shed from the cervix and vagina. This can cause a condition known as conjunctivitis. If this conjunctivitis goes untreated, it can rapidly lead to blindness.

During birth, a baby’s eyes can get infected with bacteria from the cervix and the vagina. This can cause a condition called conjunctivitis. If this infection is not treated, it can quickly lead to blindness.

Jargon

Redundant

Verbose

the simple life: using plain and controlled language to improve translation quality and consistency

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