The MESSAGE project aims to: 1) Develop tools to rapidly disseminate reliable emergency messages across Europe. 2) Ensure messages are comprehensible to facilitate response. 3) Propose making available a controlled language editing tool to allow quick and accurate editing of alerts.

1. Our partners
• Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona, ES
What is it about? University of
• Université de Franche-Comté, FR
The MESSAGE project is based on a methodology Wolverhampton
which already exists (developed by the Centre • Uniwersytet Warszawski, PL
Tesnière) and intended to:
• develop to a European level the capacity to carry out
enormous operations in case of a major emergency.
Addresses
• ensure the rapid diffusion of messages, protocols
and alerts which are reliable and perfectly MESSAGE:
MESSAGE http://message-project.univ-fcomte.fr/
comprehensible.
• guarantee rapid and efficient transnational European Commission: http://ec.europa.eu/justice_home/
communication
Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona http://www.uab.es/
Barcelona:
• ensure the highest degree of protection for the
civilian population. Université de Franche-Comté http://www.univ-fcomte.fr/
Franche-Comté:
What do we propose? University of Wolverhampton http://www.wlv.ac.uk/
Wolverhampton:
Following on from the knowledge developed by the
Uniwersytet Warszawski http://www.uw.edu.pl/
Warszawski:
project partners, we propose to:
Alert Messages
• make our tools available for public use (Guide to
editing Controlled Language and tool to assist with
and Protocols
editing).
Project financed by the
• adapt our tools according to your needs. European Commission
(JLS/2007/CIPS/022)
How?
• Consultation with technical editors.
Research Institute in Information and Language Processing
With the support of the
• Creation of a Controlled Language and Prevention, Preparedness and
Stafford Street
familiarisation with the editing assistance tool. Wolverhampton Consequence Management of
WV1 1NA Terrorism and other Security-
• Collaboration with linguists with the aim of adapting related Risks Programme
the proposed tools. Phone: +44 (0) 1902 321 630
European Commission -
Fax: +44 (0) 1902 323 543
• Invitation to an international conference which will E-mail: riilp@wlv.ac.uk
Directorate-General Justice,
Freedom and Security
take place at the end of the project.
DISCLAIMER: This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission. This leaflet reflects the views only of the author, and the
Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the
information contained therein, views only of the author, and the Commission
cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information
contained therein.

2. Definition: The Controlled Language developed by the project
Uncontrolled Text partners, is a controlled language which allows people to
A controlled language (CL) is a language created in
edit:
response to the needs of certain industries and generally • A continuous sounding of the alarm will
has the goal of ensuring clarity and comprehensibility of all indicate that an emergency has arisen and • quickly
documents, while also facilitating translation. To do this, you should leave the hotel IMMEDIATELY. • in standard language, which is also controlled and
the vocabulary, semantics, syntax and layout are simplified • If you discover a fire, sound the alarm, by adapted to the relevant audience.
and standardised and the editing standards are fixed. breaking the glass in one of the call points
• protocols and alerts which can be understood quickly
on the internal staircase or by the exits.
CLs are generally used in domains where technical and completely.
documentation can be very complex and, consequently, • To enable the management to ensure that
• for different domains: from civil security to health.
difficult to understand and to translate, but also in domains all persons in the hotel have been
where people of different nationalities need to accounted for in an emergency, you are • and to translate these protocols and alerts quickly
communicate. requested to assemble in GLOUCESTER and accurately into different target languages.
Street. This language is a generalised controlled language,
Examples of CLs:
• Do not prejudice your safety by staying to meaning that apart from vocabulary, the standards vary
• Caterpillar Fundamental English (CFE) and Caterpillar collect your personal belongings. very little between domains. This CL could therefore
Technical English (CTE) easily be applied to other domains.
• IBM Easy English
Who might be interested in our project?
• AECMA (Association Européenne des Constructeurs
de Matériel Aérospatial)
Controlled Text • Do you work in a domain where security is vital such
• Ericsson: Ericsson English as regional affairs, civil security, transport, emergency
If you hear a fire alarm:
services, aeronautical industry or chemical industry?
• General Motors (GM): Controlled Automotive Service Leave the hotel.
Language (CASL) If you discover a fire: • Do you work with people of different nationalities
(border services, international groups etc.)?
• Kodak: International Service Language Sound the alarm
How to sound the alarm: • Do you use very technical and complex
documentation?
documentation
1.a. Go to the internal staircase
OR
• Do you need to transmit security messages to your
colleagues or the civilian population as quickly as
1.b Go to the exit
possible?
possible
2. Break the glass of a call point.
In case of emergency:
Go to Gloucester Street.
Explanation: in order to account for all people.
Do not take your personal belongings.