Easy read health information for people with intellectual disabilities: A linguistic discourse analysis. What happens to language when it is simplified?
Buell, Susan Pounds, Gabrina Bunning, Karen
Buell, Susan
Pounds, Gabrina
Bunning, Karen
Abstract
Introduction
Easy Read health documents prepared for people with intellectual disabilities are often generated from Standard Texts. Language in Easy Read versions is typically assumed to be simpler. However, simplification of language may have unintended consequences. This study aimed to explore the differences in language used between Easy Read health material and the Standard Text versions of the same material produced for the general population.
Methods
Five Easy Read/Standard Text pairs were sampled and analysed using Systemic Functional Linguistics. This addressed: how people with intellectual disabilities and others were represented by language, the author stance in relation to the reader and the overall organisation of the text.
Results
The Easy Read versions often used language that was less empowering and inclusive.
Conclusion
Increased awareness of author power and better knowledge of the impact of language choice could help to redress these issues.
MIDER Authors
Citations
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Date
2024-08-28
Type
Article
Subject
Learning Disabilities
Citation
Buell, S., Pounds, G., Langdon, P., & Bunning, K. (2024). Easy read health information for people with intellectual disabilities: A linguistic discourse analysis. What happens to language when it is simplified?. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 37(6), e13293.
Journal / Source Title
Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities
DOI
10.1111/jar.13293
PMID
Publisher
Wiley
Publisher’s URL
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jar.13293