First of all we have to make one thing absolutely clear: This presentation will aim to answer only three questions. One: What, if anything, is unique to Sweden when it comes to plain language work? Two: What progress, if any, have we made in the last few years? And three: What are the key challenges that lie ahead, if any?

Before we start answering these questions, we will try to give you a quick overview of the environment we are working in, and where we come from. Sweden has nine million inhabitants and most of us have Swedish as mother tongue. Since 1995, Sweden is a member of the European Union, which today has 15 members but soon may grow to comprise 25 countries.

To promote clear language in official documents, and to encourage authorities all over Sweden to start plain language projects, has been the mission of the Plain Swedish Group since its start in 1993. If people are to take an active interest in what is going on in society, to question things and to contribute to the democratic process, information must be available!

We will continue to talk more about what we actually do in our presentation. But back to the first of our original questions.

We would claim that there are at least four unique, or characteristic, things about plain language work in Sweden: It has a long history. It is being done systematically at the highest level. There are well-developed networks. And there is continuous skill-building going on.

Long history

To begin with, plain language in Sweden has a very long history. Already in the 17th century, the King of Sweden realised the benefits of a clear, legal language and appointed learned men to write a legislation that was clear and reflected common usage of Swedish.

But moving forward in time, there are three important dates we would like to emphasize. 1976. 1978. And 1993. In 1976, The Swedish Government for the first time employed a language expert, a post which had no precedent either in Sweden, or in the rest of Europe. His name was Per Lundahl. His mission: To organize a systematic modernisation of the language in Government Acts and regulations.