Plain language recommendations call for using "you" and "your" whenever appropriate.

When that is not appropriate, the easiest solution is to write in the plural. This avoids the "he or she" or "he/she" problem and allows you to use "their" correctly.

Using "their" is confusing when it is paired with a singular antecedent, as in "Everyone should wash their hands before eating." While it may be acceptable in informal speech, I disagree that it is therefore acceptable in writing. If you don't want to be grammatically correct and write "Everyone should wash his hands" or if you don't like the inclusive "Everyone should wash his or her hands" then change to the plain language recommendation of writing "You should wash your hands...."

I think we do a disservice to patients when we ignore basic rules of grammar just because what we write "sounds better" or helps us avoid "he or she." Clear writing can and should be grammatically correct. 


Doug Seubert
Quality Improvement & Care Management
Family Health Center/Community Heath Access

Marshfield Clinic
1000 N Oak Avenue
Marshfield, WI 54449
www.marshfieldclinic.org/quality

(715) 387-5096 (1-800-782-8581 ext. 75096)
seubert.douglas at marshfieldclinic.org

------Original Message------
From:	"Julie McKinney" <julie_mcKinney at worlded.org>
Date:	Thu May 15, 2008 -- 11:01:08 AM
To:	healthliteracy at nifl.gov
Subject:	[HealthLiteracy 1990] Wednesday Question: Writing how we talk:better or worse?

I agree with Kristina that writing "the way we talk" is usually clearer,
even if it is technically grammatically incorrect. It's an interesting
concept that well educated people talk in a certain way, which is
grammatically correct, but may be more confusing to people with literacy
or English challenges. And this way is usually how we are "supposed" to
write.

The gender question that we've been discussing is one example of that,
but there are many others. For example, the rule that no sentence can
end with a preposition. Which is clearer:

Your dominant hand is the one you write with.
or
Your dominant hand is the one with which you write.

(I know we could say ..."the one you use to write", but sometimes, the
sentence structures abobe seem to be the only choices.)

What do the plain language folks think about this? And others? Can we
write more colloquially, and is it clearer or not?

All the best,
Julie



Julie McKinney
Health Literacy List Moderator
World Education
jmckinney at worlded.org

>>> Kristina Anderson <kristina at easyreadcopywriting.com> 05/15/08 11:30

AM >>>
It's my experience that using "their" does not confuse patients at all
because it is how we talk. I have tested low lit materials using "their"
when "he/she" would have been grammatically correct. No one expressed
confusion. I have also read, although I can't remember where, that this
usage is no longer considered incorrect grammar. The only people who
question it are the well educated.

Our language is changing, and this is an example of that.

Kristina 



> From: "Davies, Nicola" <NDavies at dthr.ab.ca>

> Reply-To: The Health and Literacy Discussion List

<healthliteracy at nifl.gov>

> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 14:40:07 -0600

> To: The Health and Literacy Discussion List <healthliteracy at nifl.gov>

> Conversation: [HealthLiteracy 1977] Fw: Guidance on remaining gender

neurtral

> Subject: [HealthLiteracy 1979] Re: Fw: Guidance on remaining gender

neurtral

> 

> wherever possible I use second person: you

> 

> So often I see examples like, "patients are encouraged to wash his or

her

> hands" instead of "please wash your hands"

> 

> A lot of writers use "their" but that implies plural.

> 

> Nicola

> -----Original Message-----

> From: healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov

> [mailto:healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of

> Terri.Ades at cancer.org

> Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2008 9:51 AM

> To: healthliteracy at nifl.gov

> Subject: [HealthLiteracy 1977] Fw: Guidance on remaining gender

neurtral

> 

> 

> 

> Our style guidelines require that we remain gender neutral. However,

my

> sense is that when writing for an audience with very limited literacy

> skills, using "he or she" is not easily understood.  Suggestions would

be

> greatly appreciated?

> 

> Terri Ades, MS, FNP-BC, AOCN

> Director, Cancer Information

> Health Promotions

> American Cancer Society

> 250 Williams Street

> Atlanta, GA 30303-1002

> 404-329-7785

> tades at cancer.org

> 

> ----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Health and Literacy mailing list

> HealthLiteracy at nifl.gov

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/healthliteracy

> Email delivered to ndavies at dthr.ab.ca

> 

> ----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Health and Literacy mailing list

> HealthLiteracy at nifl.gov

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

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> Email delivered to kristina at easyreadcopywriting.com



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Email delivered to seubert.douglas at marshfieldclinic.org