Prescriptivism is the view that there are correct and incorrect ways of using language, and that language should be actively regulated and standardized according to specific rules and norms. It is often contrasted with descriptivism, which focuses on how language is actually used in practice rather than on prescribing how it should be used.
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Prescriptivists often appeal to concepts of 'correctness' and 'proper' language usage, which they believe should be enforced through rules, grammar guides, and language authorities.
Prescriptivism is often associated with a concern for preserving the 'purity' of a language and resisting changes or influences from other languages or nonstandard varieties.
Prescriptivists may view certain linguistic features, such as the use of contractions, slang, or nonstandard grammar, as 'incorrect' or 'improper' and seek to eliminate them from formal or 'proper' language use.
Prescriptivism has been criticized for being elitist and for failing to account for the natural evolution and diversity of language, which descriptivists argue should be the focus of linguistic study.
The fact-value distinction in philosophy is relevant to prescriptivism, as prescriptivists make normative claims about how language 'should' be used, while descriptivists focus on the factual, empirical observation of how language is actually used.
Review Questions
Explain how prescriptivism relates to the fact-value distinction in philosophy.
Prescriptivism, with its focus on establishing and enforcing 'correct' and 'proper' language usage, makes normative claims about how language should be used. This aligns with the philosophical concept of the fact-value distinction, which separates statements of fact (descriptive claims about how things are) from statements of value (prescriptive claims about how things ought to be). Descriptivists, in contrast, focus on the factual observation of how language is actually used in practice, rather than making prescriptive judgments.
Analyze how prescriptivism relates to concerns about language 'purity' and the standardization of language.
Prescriptivism is often associated with a desire to preserve the 'purity' of a language and resist changes or influences from other languages or nonstandard varieties. Prescriptivists may view certain linguistic features as 'incorrect' or 'improper' and seek to eliminate them through the enforcement of language rules and standards. This relates to the broader process of language standardization, where a single, uniform variety of a language is established and maintained as the accepted standard. Prescriptivists play a key role in this process, as they advocate for the codification and enforcement of linguistic norms.
Evaluate the criticisms that have been leveled against prescriptivism, particularly in relation to the fact-value distinction and the natural evolution of language.
Prescriptivism has been criticized for being elitist and for failing to account for the natural evolution and diversity of language, which descriptivists argue should be the focus of linguistic study. This criticism aligns with the fact-value distinction, as prescriptivists make normative claims about how language 'should' be used, while descriptivists focus on the factual, empirical observation of how language is actually used. Prescriptivists have been accused of imposing arbitrary rules and standards that do not reflect the realities of language use, and of ignoring the inherent variability and change that are integral to the natural development of languages over time.
Related terms
Descriptivism: The linguistic approach that describes how language is actually used, rather than prescribing how it should be used.
Linguistic Purism: The belief that a language should be kept 'pure' and free from the influence of other languages or nonstandard varieties.
Language Standardization: The process of establishing and maintaining a single, uniform variety of a language as the accepted standard.