plain speech
Words without flourish
Plain speech is direct, unadorned language that says what it means without euphemism or rhetorical flourish.
The term often carries moral weight—implying honesty and transparency rather than mere simplicity: I appreciate your plain speech.
Quakers historically practiced plain speech as a religious principle, using "thee" and "thou" to avoid social distinctions embedded in formal address.
Honest and direct
- frankOpen and direct
- forthrightDirectly honest in manner
- bluntDull or tactlessly direct
- honestFree from deception
sincere · straightforward · unvarnished · unadorned · unembellished · matter-of-fact · no-nonsense · unpretentious
Express clearly, or well-spoken
- coherentLogically connected throughout
- comprehensibleAble to be understood
- intelligibleCapable of being understood
- lucidMentally sharp and comprehensible
understandable · clear · simple · concise · precise · explicit · unambiguous · perspicuous
candid
Honest and direct
- frankOpen and direct
- forthrightDirectly honest in manner
- bluntDull or tactlessly direct
honest · sincere · straightforward · unvarnished · unadorned · unembellished · matter-of-fact · no-nonsense · unpretentious · down-to-earth
articulate
Express clearly, or well-spoken
- coherentLogically connected throughout
- comprehensibleAble to be understood
- intelligibleCapable of being understood
lucid · understandable · clear · simple · concise · precise · explicit · unambiguous · perspicuous · enunciate
- speech registersformal, informal, casual, colloquial, vernacular
- honestyhonesty, truthfulness, candor, sincerity, dishonesty
- plain languagesimple English, simple language, simple words, simple grammar, simple sentences
- sinceritysincerity, sincere, genuine, genuineness, honesty
- Puritan virtuespiety, frugality, self-denial, modesty, sobriety
- speech stylescolloquial, vernacular, high style, street talk, baby talk
plain speechpurple prose
Overly elaborate, emotional writing
ornate language · grandiloquence · bombast · euphuism · ornamentation
plain speechdoublespeak
Deliberately misleading language
euphemism · circumlocution · double-talk · weasel words · obfuscation
plain speechhigh style
Elevated aesthetic expression
King's English · courtly speech · ceremonial speech · declamation · officialese
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