Synopsis
The plain language movement was revitalized by the consumer awareness activities of the 1960s, when public pressure to simplify such documents as contracts and instruction sheets began to grow. President Carter made the movement more visible when he acted "to make federal regulations clearer, less burdensome, and more cost effective." A number of states currently have plain language laws, with similar legislation pending in others. Plain Language presents the characteristics, the philosophy, and the activities surrounding the plain language movement.
Erwin Steinberg selected a number of papers from a seminar on plain English and has added others to form a well-rounded picture of the problems and advances in promoting plain language. Contributors discuss a variety of forms and documents in business, industry, and government from computer manuals and food stamp applications to informational brochures and tax forms.
The book's eighteen essays are grouped under four headings: Plain Language and Plain Language Laws; The Language of Plain English; Aids to Writing, Review, and Revision; and Case Studies. The international assembly of contributors represents education, small businesses and large corporations.
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About the Author
Erwin R. Steinberg is Thomas S. Baker Professor of English and Interdisciplinary Studies at Carnegie Mellon University and co-director of their Communication Design Center. A Ph.D. from New York University, he is the author of The Stream of Consciousness and Beyond in Ulysses and Communication in Business and Industry and has written and edited nine volumes on English language and communication. He has also contributed numerous articles to such journals as Journal of Modern Literature, Modern Fiction Studies, Advanced Management, American Banker, and Written Communication. A former chairman of the Conference on College Composition and Communication, he has served for many years as a communications consultant in industry.
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