This is a great list of complex words with clearer alternatives. It was put together by Deanna Horton, a content designer currently at Shopify. I'm actually working on a similar list as a permanent resource on Clear Language Club.
It sounds silly, but just looking at a complex word alongside a more everyday alternative is a great way to understand plain language. Examples make it easier to see the difference. Classic show rather than tell.
A few years ago, Gather Content asked me to write an article for them that outlined some of the principles of plain English. In general, I always think it's a good idea to start with principles when you're learning something new. Get the essentials down and then go from there.
Anyway, the piece proved popular and you can still read it online today – hooray for the internet! Quick disclaimer – Gather Content got bought out by Bynder and they have added a few images and maybe made some changes to the copy.
Some of it looks very unfamiliar, but most of it is mine!
If you are just stopping by, you might notice things have started to look a little different around here. I’m getting ready to launch the blog (to go with the newsletter) and this is an official test post to make sure it all works.
While you are here, you can check out a few new pages. There is an about page you can read, an RSS feed you can subscribe to and a changelog that tells you what’s new.
The plan is to publish a few posts and then send a newsletter out to everyone next week. Oh – you can also follow the new Clear Language Club account on Bluesky. New posts will go there too when they are published.
Content journey mapping, user research with disabled people, designing for people who are deaf, and plain language versus plain English.
A guide to Figma, how to name services, accessible visual content, and the effect of AI on accessible communications.
Writing for people aged 50+, using braille for accessible information, good form design and a useful readability tool.
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