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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757 |
Like bacteria transferring genes, prescriptivists -- whether sensible or idiotic -- mix and match ideas about usage. [...] we can identify some key elements of prescriptivist metabolism, in terms of five different motivations that may be given for strictures about usage:
http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/000753.html
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,624
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,624 |
Thanks for the link, Mav, I've added it to my favourites.
I think there's a time and a place for prescriptivism in any discipline, and language is no different. If you know the "rules" and understand them you are then at liberty to vary them in whatever way you wish, knowing as you do the potential penalties as well as the benefits.
When I first started studying economics I remember thinking that the definitions of the various types of market model we were taught were illogical in the face of everyday reality. However, when we got to the second year, the rules were relaxed and in the final year the rules were basically only used as starting points and not mentioned explicitly.
The same goes for written grammar, I think.
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757 |
I completely agree with you, Pfranz. I have been known to play the devil's advocate - literalism is not always my forté :)
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379 |
>>devil's advocate
But, my dear Mav, you?!!!!
[/shocked, SHOCKED]
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757 |
LOL!
I confess. But not the whole truth...
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
>literalism is not always my forté
the prescriptivist hidden deep within me wants to scream out "there's no accent in forte, unless you're musically directed!".
-ron (STIFLE! ;) obvious
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
there's no accent in forte
But there is in :).
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,773
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,773 |
the prescriptivist hidden deep within me wants to scream out "there's no accent in forte ..."
Take comfort, Ron, in knowing that you are not alone. But I thought maybe Mav did that on purpose, just to pull our chains.
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,027
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,027 |
Is there a word for a person who describes prescriptivists?
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,773
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,773 |
Is there a word for a person who describes prescriptivists?
prescriptidescriber?
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