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Milky Posted 19 years ago
Linguistics Studies

Beginning to define the difference.

0Are these definitions of prescriptivism and descriptivism a good place to start for someone who wishes to know the differences in the two ways of thinking?02br
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00"Prescriptivism is based on the view that one variety of language is inherently superior to others and that this more highly valued variety should be imposed on the whole of a particular speech community."02br
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00"Descriptivism is based on the view that the assignment of a superior status to one variety of language is often arbitrary and is more likely to be the result of socio-economic factors than of intrinic linguistic factors."02br
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00From 01i00Keywords in Language and Literacy02i00.00 00By Ronald Carter0-
  

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108 Answers
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0They seem fine to begin to define the difference.02br
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00What is lacking, and what can be a bridge between the two positions, is the notion of "appropriateness".0-
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01cite10Forbes12cite10They seem fine to begin to define the difference.12br
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10What is lacking, and what can be a bridge between the two positions, is the notion of "appropriateness".12br
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10I think quite a few descriptivists have already built that bridge.0-
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10"Descriptivism is based on the view that the assignment of a superior status to one variety of language is 11u10often12u10 arbitrary..."12br
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10That's interesting. Why "often"? 02br
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00In what circumstances would it 01i00not
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01cite10MrPedantic12cite11blockquote
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20"Descriptivism is based on the view that the assignment of a superior status to one variety of language is 21u20often22u20 arbitrary..."22br
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20That's interesting. Why "often"? 12b
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0Would you say that this (from the same book as above) is true:02br
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00"Both (prescriptivist and descriptivists) agree that acqusition of the standard language is necessary but argue that different routes and procedures for its aquisition are necessary."0-
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01cite10Milky12cite10When it's based on "intrinisic linguistic features", I guess12br
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10I'm struggling to think of an intrinsic linguistic factor that could confer superior status on one variety of language.02br
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00Can anyone else think of one?02br
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01cite10Milky12cite10"Both (prescriptivist and descriptivists) agree that acqusition of the standard language is necessary but argue that different routes and procedures for its aquisition are necessary."12br
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10Many speakers 01i00don't02i00 acquire "the standard
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0<Prescriptivists on the other hand are not necessarily concerned with the general acquisition of standard language:>02br
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00But aren't many prescriptive grammars targeted at national education of children and teenagers? Don't such grammaticians collaborate world wide with education boards to bring about a situation which favours written standard English ? Or do you
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0No; I took it for a general statement; hence my "not necessarily".02br
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00MrP0-
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01cite10Milky12cite10"Both (prescriptivist and descriptivists) agree that acqusition of the standard language is necessary but argue that different routes and procedures for its aquisition are necessary."12blockquote
10It's out! Ronald Carter is a secret prescriptivist sent in to infiltrate the ranks of "descriptivis
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