1. Plain language: a way of improving interoperability
Laura Murto-Linden, Language Specialist
Finnish Defence Language Centre

2. Interoperability shortfalls in current NATO-led operations between 06/2009 and 04/2010
Whilst all NATO posts specify the minimum requirements for English fluency, many people filling these posts were perceived to have insufficient English language skills to meet the mission needs.
The necessity for English language has increased dramatically, extending even to the tactical patrol level.
The documents used for the daily conduct of operations were considered to be too lengthy and the writing styles too complex for many non-native English speakers to comprehend (indeed, even for native English speakers to comprehend!).
The content and intensity of language training courses vary significantly, possibly falling short of STANAG 6001 requirements.
Many native speakers with no previous experience of working in a multi-national environment were not proficient in communicating in such circumstances.
Laura Murto-Linden, Language Specialist
Finnish Defence Language Centre

3. Laura Murto-Linden, Language Specialist
Finnish Defence Language Centre

4. Readability = an interplay between text and reader
Those features of the reader that make reading easy are:
Prior knowledge
Reading skill
Interest
Motivation
Those features of the text that make reading easy are:
Content
Style
Design
Organization
Source: Smart Language, Readers, Readability, and the Grading of Text
© 2007 William H. DuBay
Laura Murto-Linden, Language Specialist
Finnish Defence Language Centre

5. Laura Murto-Linden, Language Specialist
Finnish Defence Language Centre

6. Laura Murto-Linden, Language Specialist
Finnish Defence Language Centre

7. Flesch Reading Ease Score Notes 90 – 100
Easily understood by an average 11-year-old student
Easily understood by 13- to 15-year-old students
0.0 – 30
Best understood by university graduates
Laura Murto-Linden, Language Specialist
Finnish Defence Language Centre

8. Source: http://www.nald.ca/library/research/readab/readab.pdf
ALTERNATIVE TABLE WITH MORE INFO
Source:
Laura Murto-Linden, Language Specialist
Finnish Defence Language Centre

9. What is plain English? - Martin Cutts, Oxford Guide to Plain English
The writing and setting out of essential information in a way that gives a co-operative, motivated person a good chance of understanding it at first reading, and in the same sense that the writer meant it to be understood.
- Martin Cutts, Oxford Guide to Plain English
Laura Murto-Linden, Language Specialist
Finnish Defence Language Centre

10. Analyzing Cockpit Communication: the Link Between Language, Performance, Error, and Workload
J. Bryan Sexton & Robert L. Helmreich
The University of Texas Team Research Project
Department of Psychology
The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas USA
NATIONAL DEFENCE UNIVERSITY
FINNISH DEFENCE LANGUAGE CENTRE

11. Why communication enhances outcome
NASA researchers analyzed the causes of jet transport accidents and
incidents between 1968 and 1976 (Cooper, White & Lauber, 1980;
Murphy, 1980) and concluded that pilot error was more likely to reflect
failures in team communication and coordination than deficiencies
in technical proficiency.
No differences were found [Ruffell Smith, 1979] between the severity of the
errors made by effective and ineffective crews, rather, it was the ability of the
effective crews to communicate that kept their errors from snowballing
into undesirable outcomes.
Laura Murto-Linden, Language Specialist
Finnish Defence Language Centre

12. HOW something is said affects outcome
Flight engineers who used a high number of words to communicate (…) performed better and made fewer errors.
Flight engineers who used relatively low rates of large words [more than six letters long] tended to perform better.
Establishing predictable patterns of behavior during initial interactions affects outcomes later on.
The ability to communicate concisely could include the ability to apply a short and succinct vocabulary. Conceivably, those individuals who use their cognitive resources to speak more elaborately (using bigger words) do so at the expense of situational awareness.
Laura Murto-Linden, Language Specialist
Finnish Defence Language Centre

13. When language proficiency is a problem: an example from the Federal Aviation Administration
Language Errors in Aviation Maintenance, Final Report
C. G. Drury, J. Ma & C. V. Marin
University at Buffalo, the State University of New York
August 2005
Prepared for: Federal Aviation Administration
The study was based on the Secretary of Transportation’s recommendation:
“The FAA should establish a method for determining
whether language barriers result in maintenance
deficiencies.”
Laura Murto-Linden, Language Specialist
Finnish Defence Language Centre

14. AMT = aviation maintenance technician
Laura Murto-Linden, Language Specialist
Finnish Defence Language Centre

15. Laura Murto-Linden, Language Specialist
Finnish Defence Language Centre

16. Plain in action
Standard English and NATO English are two separate things.
Purpose: What do you want your reader to do after they have read the document?
When it is essential to convey information, it is more important to be clear than sound impressive. Waffle does not bring authority.
Avoid turning verbs into nouns (esp. those who have a Romance language as their mother tongue!).
When you write in passive, people have to guess who is doing what. And it doesn’t make you sound any more objective.
Tell your reader the relevant things first. So not necessarily the legal or historical background.
The longer a document is, the less people will read it.
First statement gross simplifcation, of course.
Laura Murto-Linden, Language Specialist
Finnish Defence Language Centre

17. Some other useful plain language references
Laura Murto-Linden, Language Specialist
Finnish Defence Language Centre

18. Plain language worldwide
Sweden:
Norway:
Netherlands:
UK:
USA:
Australia:
New Zealand:
South Africa:
Canada:
Laura Murto-Linden, Language Specialist
Finnish Defence Language Centre

19. An example of what can be achieved using a plain language approach
Laura Murto-Linden, Language Specialist
Finnish Defence Language Centre

20. Laura Murto-Linden, Language Specialist
Finnish Defence Language Centre

21. Laura Murto-Linden, Language Specialist
Finnish Defence Language Centre

22. Laura Murto-Linden, Language Specialist
Finnish Defence Language Centre

23. The (U.S.) Army’s “corporate standard” for writing
Laura Murto-Linden, Language Specialist
Finnish Defence Language Centre

24. Laura Murto-Linden, Language Specialist
Finnish Defence Language Centre

25. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
NATIONAL DEFENCE UNIVERSITY
FINNISH DEFENCE LANGUAGE CENTRE