Feds Must Stop Writing Gibberish Under New Law

By CALVIN WOODWARD, Associated Press

Annetta Cheek is interviewed by the Associated Press at her home in Bailey’s Crossroads, Va., Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011. For much of her career in the federal civil service and now as a founder of the Center for Plain Language, Cheek has led efforts to make the government communicate with the public in ways average people can understand. The federal government is rolling out a new official language of sorts: plain English. A communications overhaul is under way as federal employees learn how to make more sense in their writing to the public. Their guide is the Plain Writing Act signed by President Barack Obama in the fall after decades of effort by passionate grammarians in the civil service to jettison the jargon. (AP Photo/Calvin Woodward)

Feds Must Stop Writing Gibberish Under New Law

By CALVIN WOODWARD, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government is rolling out a new official language of sorts: plain English.

That’s right: Pursuant to regulations promulgated thereunder and commencing in accordance with a statute signed herein by President Barack Obama, the government shall be precluded from writing the pompous gibberish heretofore evidenced, to the extent practicable.

That sentence contains 11 new language no-nos.

Obama signed the Plain Writing Act last fall after decades of effort by a cadre of passionate grammarians in the civil service to jettison the jargon.

It takes full effect in October, when federal agencies must start writing plainly in all new or substantially revised documents produced for the public. The government will still be allowed to write nonsensically to itself.