Abstract Adopting plain language is a practical communication strategy in which speakers/writers adjust their language use to accommodate the literacy of the communication partners. It plays a vital part in optimizing the top-down communication between the governments and the public. In the international plain language movements, the respect for civil rights and the building of an open and transparent government are the driving forces that shape the agenda of plain language promotion. Drawing on the previous disputes over the definition and the merits and demerits of plain language, this paper reviews the background and history of the international plain language movement in public affairs and elaborates on the attributes of plain language from diverse perspectives such as dynamic processes, static texts and communication partners. With reference to the ultimate goal of the plain language movement and the changes in the means of government-citizen interaction, some suggestions are proposed in this paper, including employing plain language for the targeted audience, improving the writing standard and assessment parameters for the language, and establishing institutional systems to ensure the use of plain language in practice.
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