Final answer:
In 1974, 'plain English' became the preferred term over 'legalese' to simplify legal jargon into language that is easily understandable by the general public. This change reflects the broader trend of language evolution and society's adaptability to new concepts and technologies.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 1974, the term 'plain English' replaced 'legalese' to refer to the process of changing an English text into manually coded English or vice versa. The push toward plain English was motivated by the desire to avoid the jargon and complexities typical of legal writing, thereby making text more understandable for those outside the legal profession. The use of plain English aims to simplify terminology and structure, making sentences and paragraphs clearer through the use of appropriate punctuation and spacing.
Language evolution is a constant phenomenon, demonstrated by the introduction and normalization of terms once considered nonsensical, such as "e-mail", "downloading", and "blogging". This reflects society's adaptability to technological advances and the consequent integration of new vocabulary into everyday language. Likewise, linguistic reform such as plain English represents the adaptation of language to contemporary standards of clarity and inclusiveness.