Descriptive and Prescriptive grammars
The concepts of prescriptive grammar and descriptive grammar reflect two distinct approaches to understanding and teaching language. Here’s an overview of their differences, along with examples:
1. Prescriptive Grammar
Definition:
Prescriptive grammar outlines rules about how a language should be used. It sets standards for "correct" or "proper" usage, often based on traditional norms or the conventions of a particular prestige variety of the language.
Its goal is to guide speakers and writers toward what is deemed appropriate in formal contexts.
Characteristics:
Focuses on "right" vs. "wrong" language usage.
Often resists language change.
Promotes standardization for clarity and uniformity in formal communication.
Examples:
Rule: "Do not split infinitives."
Prescriptive Example: "To go boldly where no one has gone before."
Criticized Sentence: "To boldly go where no one has gone before."
Rule: "Do not end a sentence with a preposition."
Prescriptive Example: "This is the house in which I live."
Criticized Sentence: "This is the house I live in."
Use Cases:
Formal writing (e.g., academic, legal, business).
Language teaching with an emphasis on "standard" varieties.
2. Descriptive Grammar
Definition:
Descriptive grammar describes how language is actually used by its speakers, without judgment about correctness. It records and analyzes real-life language patterns, including regional and social variations.
Its goal is to understand and document linguistic behavior.
Characteristics:
Focuses on observation rather than prescription.
Accepts language variation and change as natural.
Recognizes that "rules" emerge from shared usage patterns.
Examples:
Observation: "Split infinitives are common in English speech and writing."
Descriptive Example: "To boldly go where no one has gone before" is widely understood and accepted in most contexts.
Observation: "Ending sentences with prepositions is natural in English."
Descriptive Example: "This is the house I live in" is grammatically correct according to common usage.
Use Cases:
Linguistic research and analysis.
Understanding dialects, slang, and informal speech.
Key Differences
Aspect Prescriptive Grammar Descriptive Grammar Purpose Establishes rules for "correct" language use. Observes and describes how language is used. Judgment Judges usage as right or wrong. Avoids judgments; all usage is valid data. Focus Standard forms and formal contexts. Actual language use, including variations. Attitude Toward Change Often resists change. Accepts change as natural and inevitable.
Real-Life Implications
In Education:
Prescriptive grammar often dominates traditional teaching, where students are taught to follow standard rules for academic and professional communication.
Descriptive grammar informs modern language pedagogy, especially for learners needing practical, communicative competence rather than strict adherence to formal norms.
In Linguistics:
Descriptive grammar underpins the study of language, focusing on its evolution, diversity, and functionality in various contexts.
References
Aitchison, Jean. Language Change: Progress or Decay? (2012). Describes the natural evolution of language and the tension between prescriptive and descriptive approaches.
Crystal, David. The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language (2003). Explains the differences in grammar perspectives with practical examples.
Trask, R.L. Language: The Basics (1999). Discusses linguistic principles and grammar frameworks in an accessible way.
Prescriptive vs. Descriptive Grammar with Examples: Expanded Discussion
The Role of Prescriptive Grammar: The Académie Française
Overview of the Académie Française:
Established in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, the Académie Française serves as the guardian of the French language.
It prescribes official rules and norms for French grammar, vocabulary, and usage.
Its goal is to preserve the "purity" of French and resist the influence of foreign terms, especially Anglicisms.
Example: The Académie prescribes using courriel instead of email for electronic mail.
Comparison with English:
English lacks a centralized authority like the Académie Française. Instead, it relies on various style guides (e.g., The Chicago Manual of Style or Oxford English Dictionary), which are often descriptive, not prescriptive.
This lack of centralization allows English to evolve more freely, often embracing loanwords and innovations that prescriptive grammarians might resist.
Specific Grammar Problems in English
"I Have" vs. "I Have Got"
Prescriptive Rule:
Traditional grammarians often favor "I have" as the correct form, especially in formal writing.
Descriptive Observation:
"I have got" is commonly used in informal spoken English, particularly in British English.
Example:
Formal: "I have a car."
Informal: "I’ve got a car."
Key Difference:
In American English, "I’ve got" might emphasize possession at a specific moment, while "I have" is more neutral. However, the two forms are often interchangeable in everyday conversation.
"Must," "Mustn't," and "Don't Have To"
Prescriptive Rule:
"Must" is used for obligation. "Mustn't" indicates prohibition. "Don't have to" implies lack of necessity.
Descriptive Observations:
In modern usage, "have to" often replaces "must" in informal contexts.
"Mustn't" is less common in conversational English, with speakers opting for alternatives like "can’t" or "shouldn’t."
Examples:
Prescriptive:
"You must finish your homework." (Obligation)
"You mustn’t touch that." (Prohibition)
"You don’t have to come tomorrow." (Lack of necessity)
Descriptive:
"You have to finish your homework."
"You can’t touch that."
"You don’t need to come tomorrow."
Why These Problems Illustrate the Prescriptive-Descriptive Divide
"I Have" vs. "I Have Got":
Prescriptive grammarians often see "got" as unnecessary and informal, arguing it clutters the sentence.
Descriptive grammarians note that "have got" is a standard feature of certain English dialects and fulfills a communicative function.
"Must" and Its Variants:
Prescriptive grammarians might view "must" as the default modal for obligation and consider "have to" a less elegant substitute.
Descriptive grammarians recognize that "have to" is more prevalent in spoken English, reflecting natural usage patterns.
The Académie Française vs. English Grammar Flexibility
The Académie Française maintains strict prescriptive rules, discouraging regional or informal variations in French. For instance:
The Académie insists on using ne...pas for negation, though spoken French often drops ne (e.g., "Je sais pas" instead of "Je ne sais pas").
Borrowed terms like le weekend or le burger are discouraged, though they are widely used in spoken French.
In contrast, English grammar evolves more flexibly. Descriptive linguists document and accept widespread changes, such as the increasing use of "singular they" or "less" with countable nouns.
References
Académie Française Official Website: Explains its mission to regulate the French language and offers recommendations on usage.
Swan, Michael. Practical English Usage (2016): Discusses common English grammar problems with examples and commentary on prescriptive vs. descriptive perspectives.
Crystal, David. The Stories of English (2004): Explores how English has evolved without centralized regulation, in contrast to French.