Intricate Issues on USA Plain Language
Plain Language (1) : Are the Active and Passive Voices ‘Botherers’?
The conflict between using the English active and passive voices in scientific writing or not has cause many troubles for many language professionals.Teachers and instructors are distorted between the compulsory idea that the passive voice must be used in scientific writings and the new trend of Katherine Spivey’s (1) Plain Language that urges the usage of the active voice in the scientific writings.
Throughout my open discussions in language forums and friendly conversations as a English language lecturer and a translator, I have found out that many instructors and teachers and translators still defend the idea that the passive voice must be adhered to as a material of the scientific English curriculum.Other language professionals believe that the linguistic modernized trends or phenomenon are to be adopted ,as they will eventually impose themselves on the linguistic arena .After some time will have passed since the ‘eruption’ of any linguistic trend or phenomenon, this linguistic trend or phenomenon will become a de facto in our quotidian life.For instance,nowadays, nobody uses ‘shall’ in any communicative forms of English language although using it is not grammatically wrong, but in fact, using it sounds a little bit weird to the ears.So‘will’ has become the de facto part of speech that is commensurate with any person in English grammar.
It must be taken into consideration that when Katherine Spivey has launched the Plain Language Project, the purpose of this project has been to decisively put rules to the writing of the governmental documents in easy-to-read , flexible and smooth English.Accordingly , no misunderstanding or incomprehension might arise as result of using complicated forms of the English language.But the project has gone far beyond what is expected as it has extended to the language professionals in various domains and the education institutions in different regions of the world.Therefore, the intricate issues around Plain Language has been created. The issue of using the active and the passive voices are among the issues that are deeply discussed. This is attributed to diverse elements. For example, some prefer to adhere to the classic linguistic forms of regardless if they are obsolete or not. Others unconsciously resort to the translation to the maternal language and consciously feel that it is appropriate to use the active voice in the scientific English.
Then the question that will appear at this point : which of the two trends should be adopted and adapted?
The two trends are to be adopted and adapted in the educational institutions and the language professionals are to gradually introduce the new trend of Plain Language in different walks of life .What do you think?
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Katherine Spivey, USA Government Plain Language Project Launcher in 2010