Simple <> stupid

09:56 AM









After the chuckles die down, I want to note that the permise behind Simple English Wikipedia -- and indeed, behind efforts at large to create any sort of "basic language" text -- is not to produce dumbed-down text, but to produce easier-to-understand text. It's perhaps arguable that something like



In a case like what xkcd references, complex subjects can still be described with "simple" English if you also introduce a limited, precise, and consistent subject-specific vocabulary. Even for, you know, particle physics. :-)



Anyway, what's wanted here is a dive into the research about using simplified English, etc. Which I am not in a position to do at the moment. But

When in doubt, simplify: Worried you're not using the right words? Use simpler words. Worried that your sentence isn't clear? Make a simpler sentence. Worried that people won't see your point? Make your point simpler. Nearly every writing problem you have can be solved by making things simpler.



This should be obvious, but people don't like hearing it because there's the assumption that simple = stupid. But it's not true; indeed, I find from personal experience that the stupidest writers are the ones whose writing is positively baroque in form. This topic deserves some substantial attention, but I did want at least not to let this pass unnoted. The brilliant xkcd takes a poke at something called Simple English Wikipedia After the chuckles die down, I want to note that the permise behind Simple English Wikipedia -- and indeed, behind efforts at large to create any sort of "basic language" text -- is not to produce dumbed-down text, but to produce easier-to-understand text. It's perhaps arguable that something like Basic English cannot be used to express everything, but it's certainly clear that it can be substituted for more complex (and especially, for more idiomatic) English a great deal of the time.In a case like what xkcd references, complex subjects can still be described with "simple" English if you also introduce a limited, precise, and consistent subject-specific vocabulary. Even for, you know, particle physics. :-)Anyway, what's wanted here is a dive into the research about using simplified English, etc. Which I am not in a position to do at the moment. But here's a thought (noted here before) from John Scalzi: [categories] writing | link