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Chrissie Maher
Chrissie Maher (born 1938) co-founded Plain English Campaign, a company that promotes the clear use of English, particularly by businesses and official bodies. Chrissie was inspired both by the need for democratic language (information that could be understood by adults of all educational levels) and plain language champions such as Sir Ernest Gowers and George Orwell. Early campaigns In 1971 Maher founded the UK's first community newspaper, the ''Tuebrook Bugle'', which gave her the chance to write articles demanding that organisations start using plain English. In 1974 Maher started ''The Liverpool News'', the UK's first newspaper for adults with reading difficulties. Many of the plain English principles that would eventually inspire the Plain English Campaign were put into early action with both The Tuebrook Bugle and The Liverpool News. Chrissie was also a member of the UK's National Consumer Council. Plain English Campaign Maher officially launched Plain English Campaign at a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Plain English Campaign
The Plain English Campaign (PEC) is a commercial editing and training firm based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1979 by Chrissie Maher, the company is a world leader in plain-language advocacy, working to persuade organisations in the UK and abroad to communicate with the public in plain language. Maher was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1994 for her services to plain communication. In 1990, PEC created the Crystal Mark, its seal of approval. This is a symbol printed on documents that it considers to be as clear as possible for the intended audience. The symbol appears on over 20,000 documents worldwide. They also give out the annual Foot in Mouth Award for "a baffling comment by a public figure" and the Golden Bull Award for "the worst examples of written tripe". Notable winners of the Foot in Mouth Award include Donald Trump, George W. Bush, Gordon Brown, Richard Gere, and Donald Rumsfeld. PEC has worked all over the world for companies and organisations includi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Honorary Doctorate
An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad honorem '' ("to the honour"). The degree is typically a doctorate or, less commonly, a master's degree, and may be awarded to someone who has no prior connection with the academic institution or no previous postsecondary education. An example of identifying a recipient of this award is as follows: Doctorate in Business Administration (''Hon. Causa''). The degree is often conferred as a way of honouring a distinguished visitor's contributions to a specific field or to society in general. It is sometimes recommended that such degrees be listed in one's curriculum vitae (CV) as an award, and not in the education section. With regard to the use of this honorific, the policies of institutions of higher education generally ask that recipients ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Plain English
Plain English (or layman's terms) are groups of words that are to be clear and easy to know. It usually avoids the use of rare words and uncommon euphemisms to explain the subject. Plain English wording is intended to be suitable for almost anyone, and it allows for good understanding to help readers know a topic. Etymology The term derives from the 16th-century idiom "in plain English", meaning "in clear, straightforward language". Another name for the term, layman's terms, is derived from the idiom " in layman's terms" which refers to language phrased simply enough that a layperson, or common person without expertise on the subject, can understand. History United Kingdom In 1946, writer George Orwell wrote an essay entitled, "Politics and the English Language", where he criticized the dangers of "ugly and inaccurate" contemporary written English. The essay focuses particularly on politics where ''pacification'' can be used to mean "...defenceless villages are bombarded from the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Officers Of The Order Of The British Empire
An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," from Latin ''officium'' "a service, a duty" the late Latin from ''officiarius'', meaning "official." Examples Ceremonial and other contexts *Officer, and/or Grand Officer, are both a grade, class, or rank of within certain chivalric orders and orders of merit, e.g. Legion of Honour (France), Order of the Holy Sepulchre (Holy See), Order of the British Empire ( UK), Order of Leopold (Belgium) *Great Officer of State *Merchant marine officer or licensed mariner *Officer of arms * Officer in The Salvation Army, and other state decorations Corporations * Bank officer *Corporate officer, a corporate title **Chief executive officer (CEO) **Chief financial officer (CFO) **Chief operating officer (COO) *Executive officer Education *Chief academic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1938 Births
Events January * January 1 ** The Constitution of Estonia#Third Constitution (de facto 1938–1940, de jure 1938–1992), new constitution of Estonia enters into force, which many consider to be the ending of the Era of Silence and the authoritarian regime. ** state-owned enterprise, State-owned railway networks are created by merger, in France (SNCF) and the Netherlands (Nederlandse Spoorwegen – NS). * January 20 – King Farouk of Egypt marries Safinaz Zulficar, who becomes Farida of Egypt, Queen Farida, in Cairo. * January 27 – The Honeymoon Bridge (Niagara Falls), Honeymoon Bridge at Niagara Falls, New York, collapses as a result of an ice jam. February * February 4 ** Adolf Hitler abolishes the War Ministry and creates the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (High Command of the Armed Forces), giving him direct control of the German military. In addition, he dismisses political and military leaders considered unsympathetic to his philosophy or policies. Gene ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Golden Bull Award
The Golden Bull Award is an award that is given annually by the Plain English Campaign to an organisation who has made what is deemed by the campaign to be a confusing and bad use of English (see gobbledygook). Past "Winners" Started in 1980, this award has been famously (or infamously) given to the NHS for a 229 word definition of a bed, and in 1981 winners were sent a parcel of tripe through the mail. ; 2004 : Bank of Scotland, British Airways, Department of Health, European Commission, The GENIUS Project (based at the University of Reading), Panorama Software, Trilogy TelecomTriMedia ;2007 * Virgin Trains for a letter about problems booking online * UKTV for a press release * BAA for a sign at Gatwick Airport * Fastway Couriers for terms and conditions * Nestle for a 'Project News Report' * Translink for a sign at Coleraine railway station * Warwickshire Children, Young People and Families Division for meeting minutes ;2008 * Scottish Life * Met Office website * HM Re ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Simple English Wikipedia
The Simple English Wikipedia is a modified English-language edition of Wikipedia, a free online encyclopedia, written primarily in Basic English and Learning English. It is one of seven Wikipedias written in an Anglic language or English-based pidgin or creole. The site has the stated aim of providing an encyclopedia for "people with different needs, such as students, children, adults with learning difficulties, and people who are trying to learn English." Simple English Wikipedia's basic presentation style makes it helpful for beginners learning English. Its simpler word structure and syntax, while detracting from the standpoint of the raw information, can make the information easier to understand when compared with the regular English Wikipedia. History Simple English Wikipedia was launched on September 18, 2001. Material from the Simple English Wikipedia formed the basis for One Encyclopedia per Child, a project in One Laptop per Child that ended in 2014. In 2018, ther ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Liverpool John Moores University
, mottoeng = Fortune favours the bold , established = 1823 – Liverpool Mechanics' School of Arts1992 – Liverpool John Moores University , type = Public , endowment = , coor = , administrative_staff = 1,095 , chancellor = Nisha Katona , vice_chancellor = Professor Mark Power , students = () , undergrad = () , postgrad = () , city = Liverpool , state = England , country = United Kingdom , campus = Urban , colours = Navy blue Lime green , affiliations = University Alliance EUA NWUA Northern Consortium , website = Liverpool John Moores University (abbreviated LJMU) is a public research university in the city of Liverpool, England. The university can trace its origins to the Liverpool Mechanics' Sch ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tim Berners-Lee
Sir Timothy John Berners-Lee (born 8 June 1955), also known as TimBL, is an English computer scientist best known as the inventor of the World Wide Web. He is a Professorial Fellow of Computer Science at the University of Oxford and a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Berners-Lee proposed an information management system on 12 March 1989, then implemented the first successful communication between a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) client and server via the Internet in mid-November. Berners-Lee is the director of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), which oversees the continued development of the Web. He co-founded (with his then wife-to-be Rosemary Leith) the World Wide Web Foundation. He is a senior researcher and holder of the 3Com founder's chair at the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL). He is a director of the Web Science Research Initiative (WSRI) and a member of the advisory board of the MIT Center for Co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alf Morris
Alfred Morris, Baron Morris of Manchester, (23 March 1928 – 12 August 2012) was a British Labour Co-operative politician and disability rights campaigner. Political career Morris served as Member of Parliament for Manchester Wythenshawe from 1964 until 1997, having previously unsuccessfully fought the, then, safe Conservative seat of Liverpool Garston in 1951 and the Wythenshawe seat in 1959.Cleminson, PeterAlf Morris: the people's parliamentarian, '' The Legion'', retrieved 23 January 2010 He served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Fred Peart, the Agriculture Minister. Morris campaigned against British entry to the Common Market and in May 1967 Prime Minister Harold Wilson sacked him, and six others, for abstaining in a Commons vote on the issue. Fred Peart did not appoint a replacement and Morris continued to work for him, albeit unofficially. In 1968, Peart became Leader of the Commons and reappointed Morris as his Parliamentary Private Secretary. In 1970 Morris ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Open University
The Open University (OU) is a British public research university and the largest university in the United Kingdom by number of students. The majority of the OU's undergraduate students are based in the United Kingdom and principally study off-campus; many of its courses (both undergraduate and postgraduate) can also be studied anywhere in the world. There are also a number of full-time postgraduate research students based on the 48-hectare university campus in Milton Keynes, where they use the OU facilities for research, as well as more than 1,000 members of academic and research staff and over 2,500 administrative, operational and support staff. The OU was established in 1969 and was initially based at Alexandra Palace, north London, using the television studios and editing facilities which had been vacated by the BBC. The first students enrolled in January 1971. The university administration is now based at Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, in Buckinghamshire, but has administratio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
English Language
English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the island of Great Britain. Existing on a dialect continuum with Scots, and then closest related to the Low Saxon and Frisian languages, English is genealogically West Germanic. However, its vocabulary is also distinctively influenced by dialects of France (about 29% of Modern English words) and Latin (also about 29%), plus some grammar and a small amount of core vocabulary influenced by Old Norse (a North Germanic language). Speakers of English are called Anglophones. The earliest forms of English, collectively known as Old English, evolved from a group of West Germanic (Ingvaeonic) dialects brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlers in the 5th century and further mutated by Norse-speaking Viking settlers starting in the 8th and 9th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
