The justification states that: The prize is awarded each year in collaboration between Frivillighet Norge and KS. But the language in the justification receives sharp criticism from several quarters. Among others from associate professor at the University of Bergen, Ivar Utne. Ivar Utne works with languages at the University of Bergen. Photo: University of Bergen – Completely useless. Both in vocabulary, sentence structure and sentence length. I don’t understand why they can achieve something like this, he says after reading the entire explanation. He believes that the first sentence could be summarized as simply as: “The jury has emphasized that many types of teams in the municipality talk well together about voluntary work.” Read the full jury’s reasoning The jury has emphasized, among other things, that the volunteering policy is based on extensive input processes with voluntary teams and associations, that it is sector-wide and must apply to all business areas in the municipality. Sømna is a small municipality, which depends on cooperation with teams and associations to be able to offer all residents a good life. This interaction has helped to establish arenas for various activities that create cohesion, place identity and a desire to live in the local community. A key tool in the volunteering policy is the establishment of a Volunteering Forum, which is organized twice a year. The forum will help to strengthen the dialogue with the breadth of teams and associations is a meeting place to discuss opportunities and challenges for cooperation, put relevant topics on the agenda, and clarify expectations. Characterized by public jargon Nor is Margrethe Kvarenes in the Language Council particularly impressed by how the jury has worded itself. – I see that the justification contains slightly vague words and expressions, and is characterized by public jargon. Margrethe Kvarenes is head of section for language in schools and public administration in the Language Council. Photo: Moment Studio She highlights the terms “sector-wide”, “arena”, “instrument in voluntary policy” as examples. – To make it more concrete, they could have written “close collaboration” instead of “extensive input processes”. – And instead of “contributed to establishing arenas for various activities” they could simply write “contributed to starting various activities”. Kvarenes herself is used to reading what she calls “public jargon” and says she understands what the jury is trying to say. – But it should be rewritten if it is to function well outside the state and municipality. Readability index How easy a language is can actually be measured. In the 60s, the Swedish pedagogue Carl-Hugo Björnsson created a model to calculate how complex a text is. It is based on the fact that short words and short sentences are easier to read than long sentences with long words. If you put this into a formula, you get a number that says something about how readable the text is – a readability index. The textbooks in 1st grade are around 20, while advanced subject texts, research or law are often over 60. So what is the jury’s reasoning based on? 58. Takes self-criticism Secretary General of Volunteering Norway, Stian Slotterøy Johnsen, takes the criticism seriously. – In such a justification, we try to make it understandable. I’m absolutely sure we could do a better job on that. Stian Slotterøy Johnsen is secretary general of Volunteering Norway, and has sat on the jury that has decided who should win the award. Photo: Frivillighet Norge At the same time, there are several things that make the language too complicated to understand, explains Johnsen. Firstly, applications on several tens of pages must be boiled down to a short justification. This must not be too long either. In addition, both Frivillighet Norge and KS must come up with their proposals for the text before an agreement is reached. – Then it can be easy for us to use expressions that have a meaning for us, but which are not so comprehensible to people outside our sector… Yes, or our environment. We have to get better at that. Clear language will be important next year – What does it really mean that: “The volunteering policy is based on extensive input processes with voluntary teams and associations, that it is sector-wide and must apply to all business areas in the municipality”? – What we are trying to say is that the municipality has listened to input from local teams and associations, from all parts of volunteering such as culture, sports, humanitarian organizations and children’s and youth organisations. – Couldn’t you write it like that? – Yes, that could perhaps be done. – We will include this in the next round of this year’s voluntary municipality, that we must have clear language in the justification as a priority. Mayor: – Some heavy language The award was presented in Oslo on Monday this week by the Minister for Culture and Equality Anette Trettebergstuen (Ap). Mayor of Sømna, Hans Gunnar Holand, received the award from the minister. Hans Gunnar Holand is mayor of Sømna municipality in Sør-Helgeland. Photo: Ole-Christian Olsen / news He answers a straight yes to questions about whether he understood what the jury meant. – But it was a bit heavy language, I agree with that. And then I register that perhaps not everyone understands what the price was for. Because what does a word like sector-wide actually mean? Mayor Holand explains: – In the municipality, we have many sectors such as health, upbringing, culture and other support functions. The fact that volunteering is sector-wide means that it is not isolated to the area of culture or the area of upbringing, says Holand before adding: – It should apply to everyone – to use simpler language. PSSST: This article has a readability of 36 according to news’s measurement tool, i.e. within the category normal text / fiction.
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Butchers the language in justification after Sømna received a municipal award – news Nordland
