Plain English 3 - key and notes
The point of plain English
Clearer documents can improve people's access to benefits and services, justice and a fair deal. Much of the most convincing research on the benefits of plain English relates to legal documents. The most telling point of all is that no company that has issued a plain English insurance policy, pension contract or bank guarantee has ever reverted to a traditional legalistic style of wording.
What is the point of ....? - what is the purpose / interest in doing sth? eg. We also use the phrase 'What is the use of ....?' to mean the same thing. eg"There is no point / use in going to see Mike Brenton - he's gone home" = there is no purpose / gain in going to see him...
Punctuation: Did you get the apostrophe in 'people's'?
access to - method or possibility of approaching a place or person, or the right to use or look at something
a fair deal - just treatment or terms
relates to - concerns, is connected with
telling - showing the truth about a situation or showing what someone really thinks, revealing in what it suggests or makes clear: eg a telling comment / point. "He didn't accept the invitation, which I thought was telling." - i.e. this leads me to think he did not want to go, or disliked the person who invited him, or that the business matter had already been decided, so there was nothing further to discuss, etc etc.
issue - verb - produce or provide something official - for example an electricity bill, a passport, building contents or car insurance policy etc
insurance policy - you can insure virtually anything except your life - for his you would take out an assurance policy
revert to - verb - return to a previous state or condition
legalistic - adjective - disapproving - giving too much attention to legal rules and details
If people understand what they are asked to read and sign, they can make better choices and know exactly what they are letting themselves in for. They might even see more clearly what business and government are up to. Plain language should become an accepted part of plain dealing between consumers and business, and between citizens and the State.
wording - the words used to express sth; the way in which sth is expressed
let yourself in for sth - phrasal verb - become involved in a difficult or unpleasant situation without intending to:eg What are you letting yourselves in for? Does he realise how much extra work he's letting himself in for?
be up to sth / be up to doing sth - informal - be doing something, often something bad or illegal, usually secretly:eg Sam and Jack were up to no good in the garden, making a huge mess!
He looks very suspicious hanging around the garage - I'm sure he's up to something.
Sometimes just means 'doing': eg "What is Jane up to these days?"
plain dealing - straightforward, clear and honest way(s) of conducting matters, transactions or business
the State - a nation, country or its government
Now perhaps you'd like to do some ....
listening or
reading
or just look at other options on the Home Page ?
