Plain English and Public Administration
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6112944 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Robert P Watson (0000-0002-3856-0391, University of Hawaii at Hilo, corresponding author), Thomas D Lynch (Louisiana State University) |
| Year | 1998 |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 107-114 |
| Publication date | 1998-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Public Policy and Administration (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0952-0767 • E-ISSN: 1749-4192 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1177/095207679801300108 |
| OpenAlex | W2077288271 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
| References cited | 3 |
Language is more than a means of oral or written communication. It shapes the way we think and it is through the lens of language that problems and issues are conceptualized. It is thus useful to analyze the language of government. Moreover, the language used by public administrators might be a source of the problems facing bureaucracy and the hostility the public feels for bureaucracy. What exists in government is an institutionalized misuse of language, comprised of jargon, abstractions, acronyms, and a confusing amalgamation of syntax and doublespeak. This article examines the language of ‘bureaucratese’ by identifying common elements of bureaucratese and the problems associated with its use
Bureaucracy · Hostility · Jargon · Linguistics · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Sociology · Syntax · Gender Studies in Language · Law · Multilingual Education and Policy · Psychology · Public Administration · Social Psychology
| Unique citing works | 4 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2022 - 2026 (5) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 4 |