What is the History of Plain Language?
What is the History of Plain Language?
From the Code of Hammurabi to ISO 24495.
Publication Information
First Published: 21 November 2024
Author: Nathan Boeker, M. A. Certified Plain Language Instructor
To the Point
This article traces the evolution of plain language across time, highlighting its importance in ensuring clear communication and understanding. It explores how plain language has been used throughout history to empower people, from ancient legal codes like the Code of Hammurabi to modern international standards like ISO 24495.
The article also examines the challenges to the adoption of plain language, including resistance from institutions and individuals who believe complexity is synonymous with authority and expertise.
It closes by highlighting the importance of embracing plain language as a way to create a more equitable and accessible world where everyone can understand information and participate in society.
Table of Contents
Plain language helps people understand information quickly and act on it confidently. But its history shows a long and uneven journey. For centuries, the goal of clear communication has clashed with tendencies toward complexity and exclusivity.
Language in ancient times often focused on beauty and metaphor. But even then, clear communication was essential in laws, governance, and religion.
The Code of Hammurabi (Babylonia, 1754 BCE): This legal code was written to ensure everyone understood the rules. Its straightforward approach, such as "an eye for an eye," is remembered for its simplicity. The text even carved its laws into stone for public display.
The Rosetta Stone (196 BCE): This trilingual decree ensured that rulers' orders could be understood by both elites and common people in Egypt. Its translation between Greek, Demotic, and hieroglyphics shows an early understanding of audience-focused communication.
The Ten Commandments: Religious texts often aim for clarity in moral instruction. The Ten Commandments, as recorded in the Hebrew Bible, use concise, directive statements like “Do not steal” and “Do not murder.”
During the Middle Ages, Latin dominated government, religion, and education. Yet, efforts to make communication accessible gained momentum.
The Magna Carta (1215): Though written in Latin, this legal charter marked the beginning of clearer legal rights in England. Its principles were later simplified and translated to reach wider audiences.
The Wycliffe Bible (1380s): John Wycliffe’s English Bible was a milestone for plain language in religious texts. By translating the Bible into the vernacular, Wycliffe empowered ordinary people to interpret scripture themselves.
The Canterbury Tales (Geoffrey Chaucer): Written in Middle English, this work was deliberately crafted in a language spoken by ordinary people rather than the elite, making it accessible while retaining artistry.
The Renaissance reintroduced classical ideas, while the Enlightenment emphasized reason, science, and democracy. Plain language became central to sharing knowledge.
Thomas Paine’s Common Sense (1776): This pamphlet used plain, direct language to argue for American independence. Paine avoided dense legal terms, helping his message reach a wide audience.
The Federalist Papers: While academic by today’s standards, these essays attempted to explain the U.S. Constitution to an educated but non-specialist audience.
Scientific Revolution: Figures like Galileo and Newton translated their ideas into terms understood by artisans and early engineers, leading to the rapid spread of practical innovations.
As education spread during the Industrial Revolution, laws and scientific writing adapted to serve a growing public audience.
Patent Acts of the UK (1852): These acts emphasized precision and clarity, requiring that inventions be described in understandable terms.
Darwin’s On the Origin of Species (1859): Charles Darwin presented complex scientific ideas in relatively plain language, ensuring accessibility to educated laypeople.
The Emancipation Proclamation (1863): Abraham Lincoln’s direct language—such as "all persons held as slaves... are, and henceforward shall be free"—is a hallmark of effective plain communication in law.
The 20th century saw formal movements to simplify legal and governmental communication.
Canadian Law Reform Commission (1970s): Canada prioritized plain language in legal reform, influencing contracts, laws, and judicial practices.
The Plain English Campaign (UK, 1979): This initiative pushed for user-friendly public documents, like tax forms and legal contracts.
The Plain Writing Act (USA, 2010): This U.S. law required government agencies to use plain language in public-facing documents.
The internet transformed communication, demanding brevity and clarity for global audiences.
Janice Redish’s Letting Go of the Words: This book became a go-to guide for creating clear, user-friendly web content.
ISO 24495 (2023): This international standard formalized plain language principles, offering guidelines for creating documents that are easy to read and understand. ISO 24495 emphasized focusing on the reader’s needs, organizing content logically, and avoiding unnecessary complexity.
Plain language is effective because it aligns with how the brain processes information.
Cognitive Load Theory: Clear writing reduces mental effort, allowing readers to focus on the content instead of decoding complex language.
Behavioral Studies: Research by Daniel Kahneman shows that simpler instructions lead to better understanding and higher compliance.
Despite its benefits, plain language faces resistance in some fields.
Fear of Oversimplification: Critics worry that simplifying complex topics may strip away important nuances.
Power Dynamics: Complex language can maintain control, as only experts understand the message.
Cultural Norms: In academia or law, complexity is sometimes seen as a mark of intelligence or professionalism.
1. The Allure of Expertise: Complex language reinforces expertise and creates barriers that elevate the writer’s perceived authority.
2. Fear of Loss of Prestige: Institutions may fear that plain language will make their work seem less important or innovative.
3. Legacy Systems: Bureaucratic and legal traditions are entrenched in old ways of writing, making change difficult.
4. Misunderstanding Plain Language: Some believe plain language oversimplifies ideas, failing to recognize that clarity can coexist with nuance.
5. Resistance to Change: People often resist changing habits, even if the change leads to better outcomes.
The history of plain language centers on empowerment.
From the Code of Hammurabi to ISO 24495, plain language has helped people make informed decisions and participate more fully in society.
The future of plain language depends on overcoming resistance and educating more people about its value.
By embracing plain language, we can build a world where communication is fair, clear, and accessible for all.