Software will aid the City of Madrid write easier texts

The tool was developed by the Department of Foreign Languages and Linguistics at UNED

In line with the new trend to simplify communication, the City of Madrid announced that it has signed a protocol of action with the National Distance Education University (UNED). The academic institution will provide the local administration with a digital tool that will clarify formal language and make it easier to understand for the residents of the Spanish capital.

The signing, which has materialized after two years of joint work, was attended by the delegate councillor for Territorial Coordination, Transparency and Citizen Participation, Silvia Saavedra, and the vice-rector for Research, Knowledge Transfer and Scientific Dissemination of the UNED, Rosa María Martin.

Not everyone is fluent in ‘Legalese’

Thanks to this protocol, the City Council will promote the improvement and adaptation of a computer tool developed by the Department of Foreign Languages ​​and Linguistics of the UNED. The tool will facilitate the adaptation of administrative language to a more clear and understandable language of the texts and communications issued by the City Council.

The goal is to allow the people of Madrid to exercise their rights and fulfil their obligations without complications and without the help of intermediaries. It is expected that such simplification would foster and enhance the relationship between administration and citizens, making the former more relatable.

Silvia Saavedra explained that "the Madrid City Council, from the General Directorate of Transparency and Quality, has been working for several years on projects that coordinate and promote the way in which the City Council relates to citizens from the perspective of simplification and linguistic clarity" and "as we demonstrate every day, transparency in each and every one of its many aspects is an absolute priority for this government team."