‘Easy Language’ for migrants in France

Abstract

One of the target groups of Easy Language, a comprehensibility enhanced variety of a natural language, are migrants who have difficulties with the standard language of the host country. However, regarding French Easy Language, evidence-based linguistic criteria are lacking. Therefore, the present study aims at elaborating suitable linguistic criteria for French Easy Language intended for low-literate migrants. We asked 87 migrants in France to read four texts, two original and two rewritten according to specific criteria, and to answer several comprehension questions presented in a questionnaire. The score of correctly answered questions is significantly higher in the case of the rewritten texts. The article discusses the implications of this result in the context of Easy Language research and gives an outlook on current research desiderata.