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Explain the difference between prescriptive and descriptive attitudes towards language change as mentioned in the text.
Explain the difference between prescriptive and descriptive attitudes towards language change as mentioned in the text.
Prescriptive attitudes desire to preserve and fix language, judging language use as correct or incorrect, while descriptive attitudes describe language usage without judgment, focusing on language change and diversity.
What were the proposed language preservation efforts by Jonathan Swift and Samuel Johnson in the 18th century?
What were the proposed language preservation efforts by Jonathan Swift and Samuel Johnson in the 18th century?
Jonathan Swift proposed a language academy in 1712, while Samuel Johnson's dictionary aimed to fix and preserve the language, but Johnson later realized the inevitability of language change.
Who were the notable figures in grammatical prescriptivism during the 18th century?
Who were the notable figures in grammatical prescriptivism during the 18th century?
Bishop Lowth in 1762 and Lindley Murray were notable figures in grammatical prescriptivism during the 18th century.
What approach does descriptivism take towards language usage?
What approach does descriptivism take towards language usage?
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Who came forward with metaphors to describe people's anxieties about language use?
Who came forward with metaphors to describe people's anxieties about language use?
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