Prescriptivist -
They believe that there are certain rules that help define how language should be, when these results are broken, the language is incorrect.They tend to have a very biased approach when it comes to language. Prescriptive linguistics are often described as 'normative', meaning they have certain beliefs that when challenged are seen as being wrong. for example things like spelling and grammar should be done a certain way. Their main rules are, don't end a sentence with a preposition, don't split infinitives, don't use the passive voice and don't use the pronoun 'I' in objection positioning. However not every prescriptivist believes these rules are correct, other prescriptivist tend to have little rules like saying sentences beginning after a colon must start with a capital letter, or that the word 'like' shouldn't be used as a subordinating conjunction.Descriptivist -
Descriptivist have a much more less biased view on language and are a lot more acceptable when it comes to grammatical variation, like having a native accent is understood by them rather than what a prescriptivist would think. They believe language is defined by what people do with it, for example native speakers are more noticeable to them, once they hear a native speaker, they start noticing various patterns within their language, and realise that these patterns determine their native language. This is known to them as a hypotheses, and when this is backed up by evidence, like voice recordings(for example) is called correctness conditions, for example standard English follows the pattern of, subject, verb, object word order. If we were to hear a native speaker try and pronounce, 'I an ate Apple' we would understand that this is wrong, which is why Descriptivist understand that what they may think is 'right' isn't always correct for someone from another native area or region.Well Known Prescriptivist
- Geoffrey Nunberg
- Shadyah A. N. Cole
Well Known Descriptivist
- David Crystal
- Jean Aichison
Jean Aichinson
'Aitchison describes how there is a 'Web of Worries' that people have about language change which is a lot of worries that people have about the English lanuage changed and the web is formed through them being entangled with other opinions that aren't true. She says that the web needs to be removed because change is just one thing that should be accepted when it comes to language.A 14th century monk complained that the English practised strange 'wlaffing, chytering, harrying and garrying grisbytting' (strange stammering, chattering, snarling and grating tooth-gnashing.) And this continued for example the lexicographer Samuel Johnson wrote in the preface to his famous Dictionary of the English Language (published in 1755) that 'Tongues, like governments, have a natural tendency to degeneration.'(http://a2englishlanguagetheory.wikispaces.com/Attitudes+towards+Variation+and+Change)
Aichinson had three methaphors that she used to describe the views that prescriptivists have. These are:
The 'Damp Spoon' Syndrome.
This view is that peoples language now, has become very lazy and a lot like drunken speech.
The 'Crumbling Castle' View.
This view is that language was once perfect, and everyone spoke the correct way according to a prescriptivist. However within time this soon crumbled away.
The 'Infectious Disease' View.
This idea is that the 'bad language' that has developed throughout time, has been under the influence of others. For example if your friends starts saying a new word that's apparently 'In' its very likely youll start picking it up aswell. This is the basic idea of how language deteriated throughout time.
