{"id":9163,"date":"2023-08-14T07:26:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-14T07:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.oneword.de\/artikel\/simplified-technical-english\/"},"modified":"2026-08-06T06:54:39","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T06:54:39","slug":"simplified-technical-english","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oneword.de\/en\/artikel\/simplified-technical-english\/","title":{"rendered":"Simplified Technical English: Plain language for international technical documentation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-row nectar-block nectar-blocks-row nectar-blocks-row__inner nectar-blocks-row__wrapper parent-block-block-RwxO7FEhkf\" id=\"block-RwxO7FEhkf\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-column nectar-blocks-column nectar-block\" id=\"block-1BuzhUhDIn\"><div class=\"nectar-blocks-column__inner nectar-blocks-column__content-wrap parent-block-block-1BuzhUhDIn nectar-blocks-column__wrapper\">\n<p id=\"block-RAE7UmYxWA\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-body\">Simplified Technical English (STE) makes technical documentation and translation more efficient and understandable. Properly applied, STE results in texts that are easy to create, effective to localise and safe to use. All areas and people involved benefit from this.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-row nectar-block nectar-blocks-row nectar-blocks-row__inner nectar-blocks-row__wrapper parent-block-block-NXSQK4tofp\" id=\"block-NXSQK4tofp\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-column nectar-blocks-column nectar-block\" id=\"block-nRACYBBAS0\"><div class=\"nectar-blocks-column__inner nectar-blocks-column__content-wrap parent-block-block-nRACYBBAS0 nectar-blocks-column__wrapper\">\n<h2 id=\"block-aPaS8fNHSq\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-h3\">Why Simplified Technical English?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-x2dzIrREwN\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-body\">English is now the international language of many industries and therefore also the language in which technical documentation is most often written. However, it is often not the mother tongue of the readers \u2013 or even the authors \u2013 of the documentation. Many non-native speakers have limited English skills and may misunderstand complex sentence structures and the possible multitude of meanings and synonyms of English words. As a result, complex technical instructions, maintenance and operating instructions can be misunderstood and lead to serious misuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-79IJRNv46H\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-body\">Simplified Technical English (STE) makes technical texts easy to understand for all readers. It serves as an important resource for technical documentation and writing, facilitates correct user understanding of instructions and guidance, removes language barriers and reduces human factor risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-2h2KyXLsbG\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-body\"><strong>Objectives of Simplified Technical English<\/strong><strong>:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-row nectar-block nectar-blocks-row nectar-blocks-row__inner nectar-blocks-row__wrapper parent-block-block-IbjdAOIdAu\" id=\"block-IbjdAOIdAu\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-column nectar-blocks-column nectar-block\" id=\"block-L1n0x0A190\"><div class=\"nectar-blocks-column__wrapper parent-block-block-L1n0x0A190\"><div class=\"nectar__bg-layers parent-block-block-L1n0x0A190\"><div class=\"nectar__bg-layer nectar__bg-color\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"nectar-blocks-column__inner nectar-blocks-column__content-wrap parent-block-block-L1n0x0A190\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"font-size:18px\">Reduce ambiguities and ensure clarity in technical texts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"font-size:18px\">Increase comprehensibility for non-native speakers of English<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"font-size:18px\">Enable simple, and so too cost-effective translations, also creating better conditions for machine translation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-row nectar-block nectar-blocks-row nectar-blocks-row__inner nectar-blocks-row__wrapper parent-block-block-eXOVUSeBoH\" id=\"block-eXOVUSeBoH\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-column nectar-blocks-column nectar-block\" id=\"block-VuRmepeUed\"><div class=\"nectar-blocks-column__wrapper parent-block-block-VuRmepeUed\"><div class=\"nectar-blocks-column__inner nectar-blocks-column__content-wrap parent-block-block-VuRmepeUed\">\n<h2 id=\"block-Gna2CmX8kV\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-h3\">What exactly is Simplified Technical English?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-nfKbNZNRo9\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-body\">Simplified Technical English (STE) is a <a href=\"https:\/\/de.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kontrollierte_Sprache\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">controlled language<\/a>, in which the vocabulary of natural English is limited to a standardised subset with restricted writing rules for a specific purpose. In its controlled vocabulary, each term has exactly one meaning and it only allows certain grammatical forms with defined syntax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-0mA0V7Gf91\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-body\">STE is not comparable with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oneword.de\/en\/artikel\/plain-language\/\">Plain Language<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/de.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Basic_English\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Basic English<\/a>, which is a similar, more formal language created as a &quot;world auxiliary language&quot; for general language use.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-row nectar-block nectar-blocks-row nectar-blocks-row__inner nectar-blocks-row__wrapper parent-block-block-scOywzpYAF\" id=\"block-scOywzpYAF\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-column nectar-blocks-column nectar-block\" id=\"block-nhAjwAdQ6U\"><div class=\"nectar-blocks-column__wrapper parent-block-block-nhAjwAdQ6U\"><div class=\"nectar-blocks-column__inner nectar-blocks-column__content-wrap parent-block-block-nhAjwAdQ6U\">\n<h2 id=\"block-YLUMymcJBq\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-h3\">Where does Simplified Technical English come from?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-e0wVTvSbpS\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-body\">STE was developed in the 1980s for maintenance documentation in the European civil aviation industry. At the time, it was a booming industry that became increasingly complex and was producing technical documents that were harder and harder to read, even for experts, which had several negative consequences: because 80 per cent of the staff were non-native speakers, it became increasingly difficult to carry out proper maintenance and ensure aircraft availability. Airlines had to invest more in translating technical documents. And although new employees were needed, the influx decreased because user and maintenance manuals that were difficult to understand created enormous barriers to entry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-k7ztpuWJSa\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-body\">To solve this dilemma, the airlines finally turned to the European Association of Aerospace Industries (&quot;Association Europ\u00e9enne des Constructeurs de Mat\u00e9riel A\u00e9rospatial&quot;, AECMA). In 1983, the AECMA launched the &quot;Simplified English&quot; project and developed the first &quot;AECMA Simplified English Guide&quot;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-XkmmbA8ZCv\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-body\">The guide, which has since been published in several editions and revisions and has been called &quot;Simplified Technical English&quot; since 2004, is now a standard of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.asd-europe.org\/aerospace-security-and-defence-industries-association-of-europe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe<\/a> (ASD) as the successor organisation to AECMA. Therefore, the full name is also ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English. The short form is STE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-WsLwWmmHHw\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-body\">Although STE has a stable and consolidated structure, the controlled language is maintained in line with technological development and evolves based on the continuous and important feedback from users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-ZtzFW7fB98\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-body\">The current edition of the ASD-STE100 guide is available for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.asd-ste100.org\/STE_downloads.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">download<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-ZeOolQmYJ2\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-body\">Today, STE is so successful that it is also used in other industries and beyond maintenance documentation. Meanwhile, a large proportion of primary texts in technical documentation is written in STE. It is also a topic in the academic fields of engineering and linguistics.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-row nectar-block nectar-blocks-row nectar-blocks-row__inner nectar-blocks-row__wrapper parent-block-block-kE0CnonZLz\" id=\"block-kE0CnonZLz\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-column nectar-blocks-column nectar-block\" id=\"block-VqO5c42zaV\"><div class=\"nectar-blocks-column__inner nectar-blocks-column__content-wrap parent-block-block-VqO5c42zaV nectar-blocks-column__wrapper\">\n<h2 id=\"block-mGuEGI5agx\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-h3\">What are the rules of Simplified Technical English?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-iHkxhVuLxY\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-body\">The guide &quot;Simplified Technical English&quot; is divided into two parts: Rules section and dictionary. The rules section includes guidelines for grammar, style and choice of words in procedural and descriptive texts. It also contains an extensive list of restrictions on wording.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-eqI17sfgFp\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-body\">The Guide&apos;s dictionary lists permissible and impermissible terms. The centrepiece is a 850-word list, which helps make technical documentation more readable, easier to maintain and cheaper to localise.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-row nectar-block nectar-blocks-row nectar-blocks-row__inner nectar-blocks-row__wrapper parent-block-block-5DAYwYq5zM\" id=\"block-5DAYwYq5zM\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-column nectar-blocks-column nectar-block\" id=\"block-Io9zZncbLC\"><div class=\"nectar-blocks-column__inner nectar-blocks-column__content-wrap parent-block-block-Io9zZncbLC nectar-blocks-column__wrapper\">\n<h2 id=\"block-oGpGgE6a0C\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-h3\">What are the advantages of Simplified Technical English for technical translation?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-zyd879C6XD\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-body\"><strong>Less text, more repetition<\/strong><br\/>The simplified and standardised syntax and word choice makes translation easier and thus more cost-effective with English as the source language. As the volume of text is reduced by at least 20 per cent and the remaining text becomes more repetitive, using Simplified Technical English usually results in 30 to 40 per cent lower translation costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-6UMVlgqhoq\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-body\"><strong>Using translation memories<\/strong><br\/>STE reduces linguistic variations. Thanks to the restricted vocabulary and STE rules, there are fewer ways of expressing a particular issue compared to Standard English. This enables and facilitates work with a translation memory. This is because the fewer possible variants there are, the more likely it is that there are already translated and approved words or phrases in the translation memory for the required subject matter, which can be transferred into the text by the translator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-Q6hvL5pW4u\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-body\"><strong>Better comprehensibility, more effective translations<\/strong><br\/>As explained, comprehensible texts are not only good for readers. Translators also make faster and more effective progress if the source text is comprehensible and clearly formulated. Comprehensible texts written in STE mean fewer queries from translators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-q8lg4o7TkP\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-body\"><strong>Better conditions for machine translation and MTPE<\/strong><br\/>Reduction, simplification and comprehensibility through standardised syntax and word choice also have an effect on implementing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oneword.de\/en\/services\/professional-translation\/machine-translation\/\">Machine Translation and Post-Editing (MTPE)<\/a>. If a source text created in STE is (pre-)translated by a machine, the probability of translation errors decreases and the effort required in subsequent post-editing is significantly reduced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-aCzhcfyvun\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-body\">Also important in this context: Thanks to the STE standard, it is also easier for non-native speakers to create English texts in the first place instead of first writing source texts in their own language. However, to conclude from this that translations into English through STE are no longer necessary would fall short of reality. This is because even self-authored, STE-based texts should be proofread by language and subject experts. In this case, the translator&apos;s task shifts more towards post-editing, but it does not disappear completely. Otherwise, quality would no longer be assured.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-row nectar-block nectar-blocks-row nectar-blocks-row__inner nectar-blocks-row__wrapper parent-block-block-nj4h7c4tMl\" id=\"block-nj4h7c4tMl\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-column nectar-blocks-column nectar-block\" id=\"block-1xovvlzYbh\"><div class=\"nectar-blocks-column__inner nectar-blocks-column__content-wrap parent-block-block-1xovvlzYbh nectar-blocks-column__wrapper\">\n<h2 id=\"block-zk9qYKqCob\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-h3\">Conclusion: Companies benefit from Simplified Technical English<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-SHtlHjQUEk\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-body\">STE is a proven and field-tested standard. Its consistent application offers companies all the fundamental benefits of standardisation \u2013 uniformity, higher productivity and lower costs. First of all, the technical documentation benefits from this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-row nectar-block nectar-blocks-row nectar-blocks-row__inner nectar-blocks-row__wrapper parent-block-block-ooad95ID2o\" id=\"block-ooad95ID2o\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-column nectar-blocks-column nectar-block\" id=\"block-AIitfPXfL7\"><div class=\"nectar-blocks-column__wrapper parent-block-block-AIitfPXfL7\"><div class=\"nectar__bg-layers parent-block-block-AIitfPXfL7\"><div class=\"nectar__bg-layer nectar__bg-color\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"nectar-blocks-column__inner nectar-blocks-column__content-wrap parent-block-block-AIitfPXfL7\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"font-size:18px\">Effectiveness in technical writing and clarity in technical documentation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"font-size:18px\">Easier to translate with time and cost savings in technical translation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-GrqnZvBuIN\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-body\">Ultimately, all the divisions involved benefit from the results and consequences:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-row nectar-block nectar-blocks-row nectar-blocks-row__inner nectar-blocks-row__wrapper parent-block-block-kYMh5NyX7R\" id=\"block-kYMh5NyX7R\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-column nectar-blocks-column nectar-block\" id=\"block-kUmrLwj4Lk\"><div class=\"nectar-blocks-column__wrapper parent-block-block-kUmrLwj4Lk\"><div class=\"nectar__bg-layers parent-block-block-kUmrLwj4Lk\"><div class=\"nectar__bg-layer nectar__bg-color\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"nectar-blocks-column__inner nectar-blocks-column__content-wrap parent-block-block-kUmrLwj4Lk\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"font-size:18px\">Clear technical documentation and communication<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"font-size:18px\">Clearly understandable technical documentation,<br\/>instructions and guidance in any language<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"font-size:18px\">Safe technical applications and reduced maintenance times<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-68UTQSDvTm\" class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-text nectar-blocks-text nectar-font-body\"><strong>Would you also like to benefit from this? Do you need your texts revised in or translated into Simplified Technical English? Then talk to us.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-nectar-blocks-button nectar-blocks-button nectar-gt-ASwi5Tf10p\" id=\"block-X2r7R4r2r6\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oneword.de\/en\/contact\/\" class=\"nectar__link nectar-blocks-button__inner\"><span class=\"nectar-blocks-button__text\">Get in touch with us now!<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":9164,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_nectar_blocks_hide_post_title":false,"_nectar_blocks_transparent_header_effect":false,"_nectar_blocks_transparent_header_effect_color":"light","_nectar_blocks_header_animation":false,"_nectar_blocks_header_animation_delay":0,"_nectar_blocks_header_animation_effect":"fade","_nectar_blocks_page_css":"","_nectar_blocks_page_js":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[71],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9163","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-translations"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oneword.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9163","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oneword.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oneword.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oneword.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oneword.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9163"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.oneword.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9163\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12260,"href":"https:\/\/www.oneword.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9163\/revisions\/12260"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oneword.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9164"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oneword.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9163"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oneword.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9163"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oneword.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}