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TheOtherDave comments on Rhetoric for the Good - Less Wrong
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(nods) Yeah, I sympathize. I am famous locally for the phrase "I have long since resigned myself to the fact that I'm the sort of person who, well, says things like 'I have long since resigned myself to'."
Mostly I think it's not an "it"; there are dozens of different "plaintalks". Communicating successfully to any audience requires knowing a fair amount about that specific audience. When Gabriel (above) talks about plain talk, he means his particular formulation of it, which will be different from other people's.
Sure, LW has its own brand of plain talk (two words I'm already sick of reading, and I bet I'm not the only one). And I've spent my entire life dealing with exactly the same kinds of reactions that NancyLebovitz describes. It feels bad to part of a teased minority, but it also feels good to be in that minority because of a particular kind of excellence.
Still, whether empirical knowledge is required or not, speaking/writing more simply will move more people.
Picking a register appropriate to my audience will move that audience.
You gots to talk to people in their language.
Wouldn't you call that "preaching to the converted?"
I wouldn't, no. If I want to preach to the unconverted pagans, I do best to learn their language first.
Sorry, I had it in mind that you meant one thing when you actually meant another. And you were actually being very clear about your point.