Plain English

Grateful to the Plain Language Commission (www.clearest.co.uk) for some interesting observations on the Plain English Campaign:  http://clearest.co.uk/?id=34


Fibs, foibles and fallacies: some notes on Plain English Campaign Ltd

“Paying the price for crystal balls” (2007)

In the light of research by the National Audit Office, Martin Cutts offers some thoughts on schemes that accredit the clarity of public documents; describes how the Department for Work and Pensions was bitten by a plain-English guarantee that didn’t deliver the goods; and wonders why the failure of the Crystal Mark scheme to fulfil its promises has been so richly rewarded by the department.

“Pupils see through the Internet Crystal” (2007)

Great claims are made for the Internet Crystal Mark, a logo that appears on websites supposedly written in plain English. Recently, a teacher complained that sites bearing the crystal were full of poor English. This article reveals the remarkable results of our investigation.

“Plain English Awards scandal: It’s clearly no contest as trophies for plain words go to promoter’s own customers” (2007)

Behind the annual Plain English Awards contest is a web of business relationships worth at least £500,000 between the promoter and several winners of its competitions.