Administrative Language and Terminology: Promoting Plain Language in the Public Sector

Abstract

The article examines the central role of terminology in improving communication between public administration and citizens, particularly in administrative texts. Drawing on the Communicative Theory of Terminology (CTT), it argues that terminology should not be eliminated in order to enhance understanding, but rather clarified through linguistic, discursive and multimodal strategies. This approach is framed within a research project that assesses the implementation of plain communication by the Government of Catalonia, focusing on administrative procedure sheets aimed at the general public. A qualitative analysis of a sample of these sheets reveals that the main simplification strategy applied tends to eliminate terminology, thereby reducing conceptual precision and potentially undermining legal certainty. The article instead advocates for an adaptive approach that considers the recipient’s profile and preserves precision by explaining technical terms in context. Ultimately, the study proposes that clear and effective administrative communication must
respect the specialised nature of such texts, without compromising intelligibility, by employing strategies that make terminology accessible rather than removing it.