Building Rapport

Remember Molly DiBianca? Her list of the top 30 writing blogs listed several blogs on legal writing. Most are on my Squidoo Lens on Legal Writing Blawgs.

The Squidoo Lens provides the headlines to the most recent postings on each law blog, so you could subscribe to my Legal Writing Blawgs to get a quick overview of them. Use your blog feeder to subscribe.

Here is the only blog DiBianca selected, as she described it, that is not yet on my Squidoo Lens:

Disputed Issues, by Stephen R. Diamond, J.D., Ph.D., tackles common missteps in legal writing, as well as the reasons why lawyers write so badly.

An adaptation of one of my articles has been created by Workplace Education Manitoba. My original is available here or here.

Molly DiBianca listed her top 30 writing blogs and I have been commenting on her picks. The writing blogs I keep reading:

Confident Writing is from Joanna Young, a writing coach, who organizes theme months and participates widely in blogger-world events. This is a very busy blog.

Copyblogger is Brian Clark who covers online writing and effective blogging.

Manage Your Writing, is from Dr. Ken Davis, and it is one of my favorites for its short and crisp tips.

Writing, Clear and Simple from Roy Jacobsen is very readable even though he also addresses legal writing issues.

Writing Tools by Poynter Online from The Poynter Institute is an authoritative resource.

Bad Language from U.K. blogger Matthew Stibbe discusses business, technology, and marketing using effective writing.

Molly DeBianca’s selection of writing blogs…
It is difficult to draw a line between writing style and grammar and usage but I’ll try to comment on the different types of blogs in separate dispatches.

Blogs about grammar and usage:

I like ProWritingTips, which is not on her top 30 list, but I don’t subscribe to the blog itself. I subscribe to the Twitters.

I do read Grammar Girl by Mignon Fogarty who makes grammar easy. She is famous for her entertaining podcasts.

And I read Triangle Grammar Guide by journalist Pam Nelson. She often links to grammar items in the news.

I have visited and appreciated Grammarphobia Blog from Patricia T. O’Conner and Stewart Kellerman, former editors at the New York Times, who focus on grammar. Yes, THAT Particia O’Conner.

I like You Don’t Say: Language & Usage by John McIntyre but I just can’t keep up.

I am not preoccupied with grammar and usage, so I do not regularly read:

I once had a paid subscription to the newsletter behind the blog The Vocabula Review but grew weary of its haughty air. According to Biannco, it “battles nonstandard, careless English and embraces clear, expressive English”. I found it prone to ridicule the errors it criticizes rather than to be helpful to the writers. To each her own.

I have never seen The Word Blog, by Boston Globe columnist Jan Freeman. I had not seen Mr. Rewrite who covers usage but he looks like fun.

Molly DiBianca has collected her list of 30 best blogs on writing. She has kindly included this blog:

Building Rapport, The Plain Language Blog, is written by Canadian Cheryl Stephens. The blog’s mantra sums up Stephens’ philosophy quite well. The purpose of the blog is to “advocat[e] plain language, clear design, sensitivity to audience concerns, and civility.”

Tomorrow, I will share my thoughts with you on the other blogs she chose.

I think Ms. Lucy is a real Ms. Sweetie. She has permitted me to reprint her whole post below. She makes learning English easier by teaching plain English:

Communication flows when all parties clearly understand the message. In companies, translating numerous documents to Plain English (often called Plain Language), can help employees better understand company rules, procedures, product information, sales strategies, employee benefits and more. Reading becomes easier and the message is easily conveyed. This makes perfect sense because the act of reading should not be an obstacle. Reading is the vehicle to getting to the message. Translating to Plain English has helped clarify the message so that everyone can understand the meaning.

This got me thinking about how consciously using Plain English when teaching conversational ESL-EAL can positively enhance the learning process. Verbally, Plain English can help get the message across quickly as well as effectively. When we teach beginners, as ESL teachers, we know that it is essential to keep language clear and simple. This is not only achieved through pacing and careful pronunciation and intonation; we do this by using Plain language. We do this naturally in order to keep our students engaged while learning. Students integrate the language more readily and learn to trust themselves to speak with more confidence. Consequently, they learn how to speak English with ease and confidence.

So, in effect, the key is to consciously use Plain English as often as we can with our students. This should apply not only with beginners but also with our intermediate level students. Of course, when learning a language, it is important to continue to improve on vocabulary and raise the bar when it comes to fluency and level of sophistication and we cannot lose sight of this. However, if students can be taught primarily using clear, concise and meaningful language, this will enble them to further advance their learning while expanding on their skills. Concepts will be understood; questions will be answered/asked correctly; communication will flow.

After all, the goal in learning a second or additional language is to communicate effectively with others around us; for social, business; educational or travel purposes, to name a few. By simplifying and clarifying we will reach our students and motivate them to learn more. Students will have an easier time learning when they understand and integrate the message being communicated. This will enable them to become active participants who are eager to learn and exchange with greater facility.

Clearing out files, I found the report on my strengths according to the VIA Survey. I don’t sound very serious, but don’t I sound like someone you want to know?

1. Zest, enthusiasm, and energy
Regardless of what you do, you approach it with excitement and energy. You never do anything halfway or halfheartedly. For you, life is an adventure.
2. Humor and playfulness
You like to laugh and tease. Bringing smiles to other people is important to you. You try to see the light side of all situations.
3. Love of learning
You love learning new things, whether in a class or on your own. You have always loved school, reading, and museums-anywhere and everywhere there is an opportunity to learn.
4. Curiosity and interest in the world
You are curious about everything. You are always asking questions, and you find all subjects and topics fascinating. You like exploration and discovery.
5. Appreciation of beauty and excellence
You notice and appreciate beauty, excellence, and/or skilled performance in all domains of life, from nature to art to mathematics to science to everyday experience.

Here is great piece on the benefits of simplicity in communication. Delivered last year at the Symposium of the US Plain Language Center, it is from Irene Etzkorn, Group Director of Simplification, Siegel+Gale, Amazingly Simple Stuff. (It is PowerPoint and takes awhile to download at 32MB)

Find it on this page http://www.centerforplainlanguage.org/events/symposium_2008.html

or try this one: http://tinyurl.com/8gab3w

Some of the note-worthy events for the plain language movement

International

Mexico City conference of Clarity, the international lawyers’ group, exhibited the growing influence of plain language in Latin America. Clarity celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 2008.

From Australia, Peter Butt, for the now-closed Centre for Plain Legal Language, announced the availability of two books on the Clarity website.

Law Words: 30 Essays on legal words and phrases (a study of 30 legalese words and phrases, with researched suggestions for plain language equivalents)

The Gains from Clarity: A research report on the effects of plain-language documents (an empirical study into efficiencies achieved in using plain language in legal documents).

The year also marked the formation and first meeting of the International Plain Language Working Group (see photo) whose task is two-fold: define plain language and investigate a certification process for practitioners. This working committee of three organizations has begun to craft a definition of plain language and investigate creating an institute and certification program for consultants. The organizations are PLAIN, The U.S. Plain Language Center, and Clarity.

And we saw the formal incorporation of Plain Language Association INternational (PLAIN) with a new Board of Directors and William Lutz as Chairman.

* President – Bill Lutz (Philadelphia/Washington, USA)
* Vice-president – Ron Wohl (West Virginia, USA)
* Treasurer – Ruth Baldwin (Ottawa, Canada)
* Secretary – Diane MacGregor (Halifax, Canada)
* Email Forum Moderator – Gary Larson (Seattle, USA)
* Web Manager – Nad Rosenberg (New Jersey, USA)
* Liaison between PLAIN and Clarity – Mark Adler (France)
* Support to Secretary – Ginny Redish (Bethesda, USA)
* Conference Host for October, 2009 – Neil James (Sydney, Australia)
* Zuraya Adhikarie (Cape Town, South Africa)
International Committee
* Ferdinand Tjombe (Namibia)
* Noushad Ali Naseem Ameer Ali (Malaysia)

International Literacy Day, September 8, highlighted the value of plain language in health communication. A group, Plain Language Movement, was formed on Facebook, and another, Plain Language Advocates, was created on LinkedIn.

In New Zealand, the Plain Language Power network was formed.

Plain language arrived in Portugal this year where, for the first time, a governmental body (social security agency) adopted plain language.

And Cheryl Stephens completed a blog tour to introduce the revised edition of Plain Language Legal Writing.

United States
Science

AAAS, the organization that publishes Science magazine, launched a plain language initiative that will train and provide encouragement to scientists to write in plain language.

Securities and Exchange Commission

William Lutz led the Security and Exchange Commission’s “21st Century Disclosure Initiative.” The Securities and Exchange Commission voted in November to allow shortened mutual fund disclosure statements.
USA Federal Rules of Civil Procedure

America’s new Federal Rules of Civil Procedure have been approved by the Supreme Court, and are now in force. Joseph Kimble labored for four years on this project.
Plain Language Law

The Braley plain language bill made it through the U.S. House of Representatives and a referral to a committee of the Senate, with Barack Obama one of many co-sponsors. The bill was blocked in committee by the opposition of Utah Senator Bob Bennett. The law would endorse the federal plain language guidelines.
Center for Plain Legal Language

The Center for Plain Language held a 2008 symposium in Washington, D.C.
Fry Readability

Dr. Edward Fry, of the Fry Graph, published a website: http://www.drfrysreading.com/
US States

Oregon joined the list of states with new plain language laws or programs. The governor must report to the Legislature by January 2009 on the progress of that effort.

Canada
Court Rules

Supreme Court of Alberta Rules of Court were released after 7 years of work by drafter David Elliot and the Alberta Law Reform Institute. Clearer court rules were also issued for Nova Scotia.

And a new set of procedural rules was adopted was adopted by the British Columbia provincial Human Rights Tribunal.
Finance

Financial Consumer Agency of Canada and MasterCard Canada adopted plain language credit card models.

In Memorium

Joseph M Williams died in February. Joe was a leader clear language and his book Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace (9th ed) is a landmark in the field.

In India, a leader in plain language passed in April. Jyoti Sanyal often promoted plain language through articles in The Statesman. His book his book, Indlish, was reviewed in Clarity magazine.

In March, Eirlys Rhiwen Cadwaladr Roberts, British consumer activist, died at 97. She worked to encourage the European Commission to use plain language and two of her articles were published in Clarity magazine. Her articles, in issues 41 and 44, are available from the journals page of the Clarity website.