Articles and speeches
Plain English Foundation articles have appeared in publications ranging from The Australian and Sydney Morning Herald to the Daily Telegraph and Herald Sun.
Our annual list of the 'worst words and phrases of the year' appears in December each year and attracts considerable media attention.
Developments in plain language
Worst words and phrases of 2011
From a rich list of examples of spin, cliché and suitspeak, the Foundation chose a phrase a corporation used to evade responsibility for a serious environmental incident.
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with your nominations for the worst word or phrase for 2012.
'Moving forward' voted 2010’s most annoying phrase
Simon Black writes on PEF’s inaugural list for news.com.au
If You’re Looking For A Job, Don’t Use These Words
India’s Mumbai Boss warns against using the worst words of 2010.
Anderson: Time for plain English
Adelaide’s Lainie Anderson suggests a fresh approach to language for 2011.
The worst words and phrases of 2010
Every year, the Plain English Foundation collects hundreds of samples of jargon, spin and obfuscation in our public language. This year, we’ve decided to exact some revenge by nominating the ‘worst words and phrases of 2010’.
Politics
Spin cycle: is political and corporate spin obscuring the truth?
Sydney Writers’ Festival discussion with Neil James, Lindsay Tanner, Jane Caro & Trevor Sykes
Video ABC Big Ideas May 2011
Local government language
Neil James speaks to Richard Fidler
Audio ABC Radio March 2011
The language of the 2010 Australian federal election
Neil James discusses 2010 election rhetoric
Youtube Video ABC News 24 August 2010
Pollies in plain English: the language of Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott
Neil James speaks to ABC Radio AM reporter Brigid GlanvilleAudio and transcript ABC Radio AM August 2010
Programmatic specificity we can believe in
Sydney Writers’ Festival: Neil James with Christopher Hitchens, Annabel Crabb & Nathan Rees
Video themonthly.com May 2010
Putting the hard word on impenetrable pollie prose
Rick Feneley on PEF’s analysis of Tony Abbott’s language
Article smh.com.au May 2010
Rudd-speak versus plain English
Andrew More interviews Neil James
Audio 2GB 2010
Kevinspeak killing clarity
Madonna King on PEF's study of Kevin Rudd's language.PDF article Courier Mail January 2009
Finance
Finance-speak
Neil James talks to Richard Fidler
Audio ABC Radio August 2011
Rolling out the gibberish going forward
Comment on the Plain English Foundation’s 2010 jargon list
.PDF article Australian Financial Review December 2010
The language of the 2010 Australian federal election
Neil James discusses election rhetoric with Ali Moore
Youtube video ABC News 24 August 2010
Did business-speak cause the GFC?
Sydney Writers’ Festival panel with Neil James, Janine Perrett, Ross Gittens, David Wessel & Ross Garnaut
Audio ABC Radio Big Ideas June 2010
Clear as mud: how gobbledygook caused the GFC
Report from the Plain Language International Conference held in Sydney
.PDF article Australian Financial Review October 2009
Plainly, Manglish was a cause of financial woes
Report from the Plain Language International Conference held in Sydney
.PDF article The Australian October 2009
Plain language and the global financial crisis
Glen Bartholomew interviews Neil James
Audio ABC News Radio October 2009
Developments in plain language
Garbled words get the chop
Neil James writes on NSW steps to make plain English mandatory
.PDF article The Australian October 2009
PLAIN Conference opening address
NSW Nathan Rees announces steps to make plain English mandatory
Transcript October 2009
Premier says speak English please
NSW Premier Nathan Rees on making plain English mandatory
Audio, Transcript ABC Radio World Today October 2009
Promoting plain English
US specialist Joe Kimble speaks to ABC Radio National Life Matters
Audio ABC Radio October 2009
Rees urges public service: keep it simple, stupid
NSW steps to make plain English mandatory
.PDF article Sun Herald October 2009
Professionalizing plain language: a postcard on current developments
Neil James writes for the journal of the Society for Technical Communication
.PDF article Intercom April 2009
Speketh so Pleyne: a historical approach to plain English
Neil James article Southern Communicator February 2009
Defining the profession: placing plain language in the field of communication
Neil James address Clarity conference
Transcript November 2008
Setting the standard: some steps toward a plain language profession
Neil James address the Plain Language International Conference
Transcript October 2007
Literacy and communication
Long live the e-revolution
Neil James writes on Twitter, texting and communication
.PDF article Sydney Morning Herald May 2010
Much ado about grammar
Sydney Writers’ Festival panel with Neil James, Mark Tredinnick, Michael Meehan & Dominic Knight
Transcript May 2009
To teach grammar, get to the point
Neil James writes for the Sydney Morning Herald
.PDF article Sydney Morning Herald May 2009
Writers espouse return to grammar but without tears
.PDF article The Australian May 2009
The author’s right to speak
Sydney Writers’ Festival panel with Neil James, Monica Ali, Richard Flanagan & David Williamson
Audio May 2009
The ethics of language
Sydney Writers’ Festival: with Neil James, David Marr, Margaret Somerville & Mary Zournazi
Transcript May 2007
The future of English: the forces that are shaping the language of the future
Sydney Writers’ Festival panel with Neil James, Vikram Chandra, Steven Hall and Pam Peters
Transcript May 2007
Consumer issues
Medical (ill) ease
Audio ABC Radio August 2011
Meaningless job ads
Audio ABC Radio July 2011
Stupid warning labels
Audio ABC Radio March 2011
Email scams language
Audio ABC Radio February 2011
Flood insurance English
Audio ABC Radio February 2011