Author
Tamara Pevec Barborič
How can we translate expert language into messages that are clear and meaningful even to those outside the field?
On one side are the experts, those who know and create; on the other, the general public, who need to understand why their work matters. Our task is to build a linguistic bridge between the two – to give professional language meaning without losing precision.
Numbers, percentages and terms may sound precise, but without context they quickly lose their meaning. Saying efficiency has improved by 12% doesn’t mean much on its own. But if we add that the same task now takes four days instead of five, the information suddenly has shape and feeling.
People rarely remember numbers; they remember what those numbers mean to them. That’s why data needs a story, not just a chart.
Communication about complex topics works best when it follows the natural logic of understanding — from meaning to detail. First, explain why the topic matters and how it affects people’s lives. Only then unfold how it works, what processes lie behind it, and why they’re relevant.
If we start at the end – with mechanisms, phases or methods – the message loses its human dimension. But when we start with meaning, the technical explanation becomes an answer to a question the audience already cares about.
Clear language doesn’t have to be simplistic – it just needs to be visual. Instead of broad terms like “process optimization” or “efficiency improvement,” use explanations people can picture. For example: “With the new workflow, we save as much time as if every week came with one extra working day.”
Such comparisons keep the message accurate but bring it to life. We think in images – and only when we can truly picture something do we understand it.
A visual, an example or a short story often communicates more than a long explanation. A simple diagram, a short video or a concrete “before and after” example can turn information into experience.
People may forget an explanation, but they remember the moment when they saw something clearly.
The role of communicators isn’t to say more, but to say it so people understand. Because only when complexity becomes clarity can knowledge truly come to life.
Translating professional language into plain, understandable speech isn’t about simplification – it’s about respect. Respect for experts, whose work becomes accessible, and respect for the public, who are given the chance to understand.
When complex ideas become clear, it’s not just communication that improves. A connection is made – the kind that allows knowledge to truly come alive.