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Applied June 4th, 2020
Linguistics
Assignment 2 1. What is the difference between descriptive and prescriptive
linguistics?
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Descriptive Linguistics explores language form and function,
I Wayan Endra Setiawan Suastika applying descriptive and sociolinguistic approaches for analysis. It
1929081026 concentrates on how native and nonnative speakers use the
Denpasar language every day. Therefore, a number of rules concerning
language are included based on how they are actually used, not how
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they should be used. As with natural science, for example, it is not a
task of assessing, but of describing and explaining. A botanist should
explain and describe the facts about plants, instead of telling us
which plants are the most beautiful (Cook, 2003).
Prescriptive linguistics, on the other hand, focuses on how a
language should be used rather than how it is actually used. It is a
prescription for the “right” phonology and morphology and syntax
and semantics. Greenbaum (1996) states that a prescriptivist view
of language implies a clear distinction between what is called “good
grammar” and “bad grammar,” and it primarily focuses on the
standard forms of grammar as well as the syntactic constructions.
Consequently, prescriptive linguistics consists of a set of rules that
teach the most accurate and the correct manner to use the
language, emphasising on what should be used and what should be
avoided therefore that certain language standard can be achieved.
In short, The main difference between descriptive and
prescriptive linguistics is that the descriptive linguistics describes
how the language is used meanwhile the prescriptive linguistics
explains how the language should be used by the speakers.
2. How does linguistics perceive the difference?
Linguistically speaking, the linguists tend to choose the
descriptive linguistics above the prescriptive linguistics with the
argumentation that the standard or the rules of the language is
neither higher nor more stable, from a linguistic point of view, than
any other variety as suggested by the prescriptivist view (Cook,
2003). Another reason for this is maybe because prescriptivism is
diametrically opposed to the very point of linguistics, at the most
fundamental level; and linguistics study different languages and
observe how they actually are which of course will oppose the
prescriptive linguistics theory. As Cook (2003) says, “If there was
never any deviation from the norm then languages would never
change. We would all still be saying 'Wherefore art thou?' instead of
'Why are you?'
Although in some extent prescriptivist view can be
“toleranced” in linguistics, e.g. when acquiring a second-language.
The reason is that when learning or teaching a second language,
people aim to be able to speak like the speakers of the target
language, hence they do take a prescriptive stance that there is a
‘right way’ simply because to have a standard based on how
speakers of those languages speak. However, referring back to the
very point of linguistics, the descriptivist view is most likely
favoured since, linguistically speaking, correctness is not a valid
concept (Cook, 2003).
3. How does applied linguistics perceive the difference?
Applied linguistics perceives this difference as something
investigatable in order to engage with the practical consequences
of holding one view or another, and to mediate between academic
and public concerns. Applied Linguistics sees that whatever the
merits of the rival arguments for descriptivism and prescriptivism, it
is simply impossible to proceed without some notion of correct
language use especially in the case such as foreign language
teaching, or language testing. It will be hard to see how the activity
could exist at all if there were not some clear criteria which can be
used to measure success. The task of applied linguistics is to
mediate between these two very different perspectives to be able
to concurrently embody the view saying language is constantly
shifting while still maintaining the appropriate rules as the
measurement the professionals such as language teachers can look
up to (Cook, 2003).
References
Cook, G. (2003). Applied linguistics. Oxford University Press.
Greenbaum, S. (1996) The Oxford English grammar. Oxford:
Oxford University Press.