Language in Use 261-262
This unit is concerned with the fact that society has to make continuous use
of language to inform people about the practical effect of complex legislation
on them. It focuses upon the problems of communication between public officials
and the large, varied audience with whom they have to deal. It asks the class
to look at the language used for pamphlets about social benefits and to explore
the difficulties involved by attempting to write their own texts for a similar
situation.
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[1] The aim of this session is to examine the language of government pamphlets which have to make clear to people what help they can expect from an), particular piece of legislation about social benefits. The class will need copies of these pamphlets for the session. After the class has had a chance to read and discuss them, they should choose one for closer study. Ask them to look for passages which seem to them difficult or likely to be misunderstood by the people for whom they are intended. Explore in discussion why this seems to be so, and then ask the class to write their own versions. Circulate the results and discuss how successfully, or otherwise, they remedy the weaknesses of the official text.
[2] For this session, the class need to decide upon one particular scheme of the kind suggested at the end of the unit. Begin the session by discussing the distinction between the need to inform people about their rights and the need to have a procedure for claiming those rights. Organise the class into groups, and have half a group consider how to do the informing while the other half considers how to set up the procedure. The remainder of this session should be devoted to the preparation of drafts for the new pamphlet. The following types of social benefit scheme lend themselves to the work: free use of public transport by the elderly, and the existing schemes for rate rebates, rent appeals, and tax relief for special groups like the disabled. The class can adopt an existing scheme, or invent a new one.
[3] In this session, the class should consider the draft - pamphlet.
Exchange drafts between the groups so that those who did the informing texts
can study the suggested procedures for claiming, and vice-versa. Through
discussion, build up on the board a picture of the pamphlet that shows what
the class think would be most effective in the circumstances. Then compare it
with the pamphlets examined in session [I] and consider the differences. The
following points may be helpful:
(a) what has the class done about the kind of technical language used in
the pamphlet examined?
(b) what degree of formality have they chosen for their pamphlet?
(c) how much knowledge on the part of the users have they assumed in writing
the informative part of the text?
(d) what assumptions have they made about the supposed intelligence of the
pamphlet's users?
(e) have they revealed any social attitudes towards the intended users through
their choice of words which are out
of place in a pamphlet designed to assist?
[4] In this session, the class are asked to test the effectiveness of their formulations. Working in groups, they should prepare short sketches in which an applicant, using the class's pamphlet, is interviewed by an official about his claim. When the sketches have been presented, the subsequent discussion should focus upon the degree to which the class's pamphlet was able to provide both parties to the interview with the information that they needed to carry it through successfully. Reference to the points listed in session [3] may be useful.
The work of [4] is related to that of H8.