0 the belief that there are correct and wrong ways to use language and that books about language should give rules to follow, rather than describing how language is really used: --
There has been a blurring of the sharp distinction between descriptivism and prescriptivism in the writings of grammarians and lexicographers.
Practicing prescriptivism now and then.
Prescriptivism has done itself no favours in the past and, by failing to acknowledge current language trends, it does itself no favours nowadays.
But is it really fair to tar linguists with the brush of prescriptivism?
Similarly, in his discussion of prescriptivism, he seems to have blurred the difference between descriptive and applied approaches.
Several of those belonging to this group even confided that this prescriptivism might have influenced their respective choices.
Both eschew prescriptivism while addressing the ever-present public interest in questions of disputed usage.
The most striking characteristic of this curriculum is the absence of prescriptivism (for which linguists can claim some credit).
The growth of the form, however, was sometimes challenged by writers on the language at a time when prescriptivism was dominant.
