Principles of plain language
The principles of plain language have been studied in Finland since the 1980s. The conception of how language can be adapted into easier form has changed in the course of years when more extensive data have been gained on the language needs and difficulties of different target groups and different language research communities have started cooperate more closely. International cooperation has also played a key role here, and the principles of plain language in Finland have mainly been developed according to two international guidelines:
- Guidelines for Easy-to-Read Material by the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) managed by the UN.
- Make it easy. Guidelines for plain language developed by the European Association of Inclusion International, which is a non-governmental organisation that defends the interests and rights of people with developmental disabilities and their families. The guidelines are available in various languages.
In applying guidelines it is good to remember that they have been developed mainly from the perspective of Indo-European languages. The endings and affixes that make the words longer are a natural part of the Finnish language, which is one of the reasons why it is not sensible pay attention to word length alone. The international guidelines are however rather universal so applying them to the Finnish language does not present problems.
A summary of the principles of plain language:
• Content: Consider what you are going to say and to whom, define the topic, pay careful attention to the logic of the text.
• Vocabulary: Use common and well-known vocabulary. Avoid long words and explain the difficult or abstract expressions.
• Simple structures: Substitute difficult grammatical cases and verb structures with easier ones. Avoid the passive voice, participles and participal phrase constructions and elaborate adjunct clusters. Use finitive forms and words that refer to a person.
• Short sentences: Only one important issue in one sentence, prefer direct word order, contain the most important issue in the main clause and the specifications in the subordinate clause. Make sure that the sentences connect to each other logically.
• Coherency of the text: Make the sentences and paragraphs consistent with each other by using different means of coherency. See that the structure of the text is logical. Bind the subject to time and place, be concrete, give examples. Avoid references to other points in the text (this doesn’t exclude the use of Metatext when appropriate). Use positive language. Use grown-up language when writing for grown-ups.
The principles of plain language are suggestive by nature and they take on different emphases with different text types. It would not be meaningful to write out strict and detailed instructions that would apply to every type of text.
Because graphic solutions have a significant impact on the readability of a text, the plain-language principles include rather established guidelines on the layout of plain language publications.
Books on the principles of plain language have been published in Finland since the 1980s. Among the most recent are Teksti, joka rakastaa lukijaansa (Text That Loves its Reader) (ed. Ari Sainio, BTJ-Kirjastopalvelu 2000), Selko-opas (A Guide for Plain Language) (ed. Hannu Virtanen, Opike 2002) and Toisin sanoen – Selkokielen teoriaa ja käytäntöä (In Other Words, Theory and Practice of Plain Language) (eds. Leealaura Leskelä and Hannu Virtanen, Opike 2006).