Abstract

AbstractIt is important not to use language in a way that excludes some people. ‘Readability’ (or ‘understandability’, in the case of spoken language) is a useful concept from the field of plain language. It is applicable to choosing both vocabulary and sentence structure. This paper looks at techniques to help those working in bereavement support to select understandable words and phrases when communicating with clients. Drawn from linguistics (the scientific study of language), these include the natural phenomenon of accommodation and several techniques that can be used as development activities: identifying short words; identifying jargon; using a thesaurus; using a corpus; using Google; and checking with clients. The paper includes an illustration of these techniques.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.