diff --git a/buildpack-deps/README-short.txt b/buildpack-deps/README-short.txt
index 619cdf1222e1..689e773d5c59 100644
--- a/buildpack-deps/README-short.txt
+++ b/buildpack-deps/README-short.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-A collection of common build dependencies, especially useful for installing arbitrary modules such as gems where build dependencies can't easily be determined beforehand.
+A collection of common build dependencies used for installing various modules, e.g., gems.
diff --git a/clojure/README-short.txt b/clojure/README-short.txt
index 99d39fd0c490..e180653b11df 100644
--- a/clojure/README-short.txt
+++ b/clojure/README-short.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Clojure is a dialect of the Lisp programming language designed to run atop of the Java Virtual Machine. Clojure is a general-purpose programming language with an emphasis on functional programming.
+Clojure is a dialect of Lisp that runs on the JVM.
diff --git a/gcc/README-short.txt b/gcc/README-short.txt
index bc92d5a4084d..801001a9e78d 100644
--- a/gcc/README-short.txt
+++ b/gcc/README-short.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-The GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) is a compiler system produced by the GNU Project that supports various programming languages.
+The GNU Compiler Collection is a compiling system that supports several languages.
diff --git a/hylang/README-short.txt b/hylang/README-short.txt
index 951f20d8bda1..2daccaf13743 100644
--- a/hylang/README-short.txt
+++ b/hylang/README-short.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Hy is a dialect of the Lisp programming language designed to interoperate with Python by translating expressions into Python's abstract syntax tree (AST).
+Hy is a Lisp dialect that translates expressions into Python's abstract syntax tree.
diff --git a/java/README-short.txt b/java/README-short.txt
index d094804cd045..8bc7a55a02e7 100644
--- a/java/README-short.txt
+++ b/java/README-short.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Java is a computer programming language that is concurrent, class-based, object-oriented, and specifically designed to have as few implementation dependencies as possible.
+Java is a concurrent, class-based, and object-oriented programming language.
diff --git a/mongo/README-short.txt b/mongo/README-short.txt
index ab732ea48971..92fdc24c2338 100644
--- a/mongo/README-short.txt
+++ b/mongo/README-short.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-MongoDB is a document database that provides high performance, high availability, and easy scalability.
+MongoDB document databases provide high availability and easy scalability.
diff --git a/mysql/README-short.txt b/mysql/README-short.txt
index ffbfb0c669d6..125d11436f8d 100644
--- a/mysql/README-short.txt
+++ b/mysql/README-short.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-MySQL is the world's second most widely used open-source relational database management system (RDBMS).
+MySQL is a widely used, open-source relational database management system (RDBMS).
diff --git a/node/README-short.txt b/node/README-short.txt
index d4a8e5ccde59..552f36d4d0eb 100644
--- a/node/README-short.txt
+++ b/node/README-short.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Node.js is a software platform for scalable server-side and networking applications. Node.js applications are written in JavaScript and run within the Node.js runtime on Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux.
+Node.js is a JavaScript-based platform for server-side and networking applications.
diff --git a/php/README-short.txt b/php/README-short.txt
index 2fa834e11f86..b682e419762f 100644
--- a/php/README-short.txt
+++ b/php/README-short.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-PHP is a server-side scripting language designed for web development, but which can also be used as a general-purpose programming language.
+While designed for web development, the PHP scripting language also provides general-purpose use.
diff --git a/postgres/README-short.txt b/postgres/README-short.txt
index 46fd42a8ad28..8d7400e62ddd 100644
--- a/postgres/README-short.txt
+++ b/postgres/README-short.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-PostgreSQL is a powerful, open source object-relational database system. It has a proven architecture that has earned it a strong reputation for reliability, data integrity, and correctness.
+The PostgreSQL object-relational database system provides reliability and data integrity.
diff --git a/python/README-short.txt b/python/README-short.txt
index 52ef45a68264..e489267e7abe 100644
--- a/python/README-short.txt
+++ b/python/README-short.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Python is an interpreted, interactive, object-oriented, open-source programming language. It incorporates modules, exceptions, dynamic typing, very high level dynamic data types, and classes.
+Python is an interpreted, interactive, object-oriented, open-source programming language.
diff --git a/rails/README-short.txt b/rails/README-short.txt
index 00ba995ff48b..f92feeff9a75 100644
--- a/rails/README-short.txt
+++ b/rails/README-short.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Ruby on Rails is an open-source application framework written in Ruby. It emphasizes best practices such as convention over configuration, active record pattern, and the model-view-controller pattern.
+Rails is an open-source web application framework written in Ruby.
diff --git a/redis/README-short.txt b/redis/README-short.txt
index 98d50445bb21..8d7defc5af63 100644
--- a/redis/README-short.txt
+++ b/redis/README-short.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Redis is an open source, BSD licensed, advanced key-value store. It is often referred to as a data structure server since keys can contain strings, hashes, lists, sets and sorted sets.
+Redis is an open source key-value store that functions as a data structure server.
diff --git a/ruby/README-short.txt b/ruby/README-short.txt
index b1e4007b060c..99c9cdd67711 100644
--- a/ruby/README-short.txt
+++ b/ruby/README-short.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Ruby is a dynamic, reflective, object-oriented, general-purpose, open-source programming language. It supports multiple programming paradigms, including functional, object-oriented, and imperative.
+Ruby is a dynamic, reflective, object-oriented, general-purpose, open-source programming language.
diff --git a/wordpress/README-short.txt b/wordpress/README-short.txt
index 5d78ef04fd69..e0a85abf8a7e 100644
--- a/wordpress/README-short.txt
+++ b/wordpress/README-short.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-WordPress started as just a blogging system, but has evolved to be used as full content management system and so much more through thousands of plugins, widgets, and themes.
+The WordPress rich content management system can utilize plugins, widgets, and themes.