SUMMARY - Language, Literacy, and Complexity

Language, Literacy, and Complexity

A government form asks applicants to "attest to the veracity of the foregoing declarations." A health portal explains medication interactions in medical terminology. A banking app presents terms of service in dense legal language. For many Canadians, these are not just inconveniences but barriers to essential services.

Language complexity in digital services affects people with lower literacy, people whose first language is not English or French, people with cognitive disabilities, people with limited education, and people under stress or cognitive load. Simplifying language is not dumbing down—it is designing for real human capabilities.

Literacy in Canada

Nearly half of Canadian adults have literacy levels that make it difficult to navigate complex written information. According to international assessments, about 17% of Canadians score at the lowest literacy level, struggling with basic reading tasks. Another 32% score at level 2, able to handle simple texts but challenged by moderately complex material.

Literacy is not binary. Someone may read novels for pleasure but struggle with bureaucratic forms. Literacy varies by context, stress level, and familiarity with subject matter. A doctor navigating a complex tax form may struggle just as a tradesperson might.

The Language Barrier in Digital Services

Government Services

Government forms, websites, and communications often use complex language—legal terminology, bureaucratic jargon, long sentences, passive voice, and abstract concepts. This complexity serves institutional purposes (legal precision, comprehensive coverage) at the cost of accessibility.

The Canada Revenue Agency, Service Canada, and provincial equivalents have made efforts toward plain language, but complexity remains common, particularly in legal disclaimers, eligibility requirements, and instructions for complex processes.

Healthcare

Health literacy—the ability to obtain, understand, and use health information—affects health outcomes. Patients who cannot understand medication instructions, consent forms, or discharge information face worse outcomes. Digital health portals, patient information sheets, and appointment systems often assume literacy levels that many patients do not have.

Financial Services

Banking, insurance, and financial services involve some of the most complex language people encounter. Terms of service, loan agreements, and investment disclosures are often written to protect institutions legally rather than to inform customers. Digital banking interfaces may be visually simple while hiding complex terms behind "I agree" buttons.

Plain Language Principles

Plain language is not simplified or childish language. It is language designed to be understood on first reading by its intended audience. Principles include:

Common words: Use familiar words rather than jargon or technical terms. When technical terms are necessary, define them.

Short sentences: Keep sentences focused on one idea. Break complex information into digestible pieces.

Active voice: "We will process your application" is clearer than "Your application will be processed."

Direct structure: Put the most important information first. Tell people what they need to do, then explain why.

Clear organization: Use headings, lists, and visual structure to help readers find and understand information.

Test with users: The ultimate test of plain language is whether the intended audience understands it.

Multilingual Considerations

Canada's official bilingualism means federal services must be available in English and French. But millions of Canadians speak neither as their first language. Indigenous languages, immigrant languages, and sign languages receive far less accommodation.

Translation compounds complexity challenges. A form that is barely comprehensible in English may be even less clear when translated. Plain language in the source language produces clearer translations.

Multilingual services raise resource questions. How many languages should services support? Machine translation offers scalability but variable quality. Professional translation ensures accuracy but costs money and time.

The Tension Between Simplicity and Precision

Critics of plain language requirements argue that simplification can lose important nuance. Legal terms have precise meanings that everyday language may not capture. Oversimplification can mislead. People making important decisions need complete information, not summaries.

Plain language advocates respond that information people cannot understand provides no protection. A legally precise document that users cannot read serves no one's interests. Clarity and accuracy are not opposites—good writing achieves both.

A middle approach provides layered information: plain language summaries for most users with access to complete technical information for those who need it.

Icons, Images, and Alternatives to Text

Visual communication can transcend language barriers but creates its own accessibility challenges. Icons that seem universal may be culturally specific. Images may not be accessible to people with visual impairments. Video requires captioning and may not be accessible in all contexts.

Multimodal design—combining text, images, audio, and video—can reach more people but requires careful implementation to avoid creating new barriers while removing old ones.

Institutional Barriers to Plain Language

Why does complex language persist despite decades of plain language advocacy? Institutional factors include:

Legal culture: Lawyers often prefer language that has been tested in court, even when clearer alternatives exist.

Professional identity: Complex language can signal expertise. Simplifying may feel like diminishing professional standing.

Template dependence: Organizations reuse templates written years ago rather than creating new plain language documents.

Review processes: Documents pass through multiple reviewers who add complexity but rarely remove it.

Lack of accountability: Organizations rarely face consequences when people cannot understand their communications.

The Question

If complex language excludes nearly half of Canadian adults from fully understanding important information, then language complexity is an access barrier as real as a physical barrier or a digital barrier. How should organizations balance precision with accessibility? Should plain language requirements have regulatory teeth? And how can institutions change cultures that reward complexity and treat simplicity as unprofessional?