US Plain Writing bill off to senate
The plain English movement had a major boost last week when the Plain Writing bill passed in the US House, and will next be considered in the senate.
If it passes there, and the President ticks it off, it will become law for the US government’s public documents to be written clearly.
What a fantastic endorsement of everything Plain English stands for. It begs the question – do we need to get this formal about it in New Zealand?
I think it would be great if we followed suit but having said that there is already a lot of good public sector writing going on – look no further than the long list of quality entries in last year’s WriteMark New Zealand Plain English Awards.
What’s more of an issue for us Kiwis is how far our private sector is lagging behind in the clear communication stakes. Some are having a go and good on them – especially in the insurance, banking and finance sectors – but with nothing like the fervour found in government.
But prove me wrong! We’d love to see your shining examples of plain English – post them below.
In the meantime, you can follow the US bill as it makes its way to the top.
H.R 946 Plain Writing Act 2010
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