The plain language movement is taking hold, and translators are well-positioned to play a leadership role. As the language professions are being reshaped in the age of AI, language professionals who are seeking to diversify their skillset and address new market demands can incorporate plain language communication into their toolkit. This talk will introduce the plain language movement and the motivations behind it, explain the key principles of plain language communication as they apply to both writing and translation, and discuss the potential and limitations of AI tools for plain language communication.
Lynne Bowker is Full Professor and Canada Research Chair in Translation, Technologies and Society at Université Laval in Quebec, Canada. Her teaching and research focus on translation and translation tools, with a particular interest in how these tools are used both inside and outside the translation community. She is a certified translator (French-English) and the author of several books, including the freely available „De-mystifying Translation: Introducing Translation to Non-translators (Routledge, 2023) and the recently published Plain Language for Translators“ (Routledge, 2026).
