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[HealthLiteracy 2008] Re: Wednesday Question: Writing how we talk: better or worse?
Kristina Anderson
kristina at easyreadcopywriting.comSun May 18 11:54:59 EDT 2008
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The rules of English are slowly changing with our speech patterns. I am of
the belief that if breaking a rule makes the content easier to understand,
then I consider breaking the rule. It doesn't mean I'll do it, but I do
consider it and in that consideration, look for an alternative way to phrase
what I'm trying to say.
In addition, I think as writers we need to consider the multitude of factors
involved in a particular situation, i.e., the audience, the culture, the
education level, the patient's need for specific information, the readers'
literacy levels, the medium of distribution, etc.
Kristina
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Kristina Anderson
EasyRead Copywriting, LLC
Office: 505-345-3258
Cell: 505-715-1070
> From: Julie McKinney <julie_mcKinney at worlded.org>
> Reply-To: The Health and Literacy Discussion List <healthliteracy at nifl.gov>
> Date: Thu, 15 May 2008 11:57:55 -0400
> 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
>>
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>> Email delivered to ndavies at dthr.ab.ca
>>
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>
>
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>
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