5 Questions
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?
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?
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?
Descriptivism describes language usage without judgment, focusing on language change and diversity, and is interested in why language is used in a particular way in a specific context.
Who came forward with metaphors to describe people's anxieties about language use?
The linguist Gene Hasen came forward with metaphors to describe people's anxieties about language use.
Test your knowledge of language attitudes and viewpoints on language change. Explore the differences between prescriptive and descriptive attitudes towards language evolution.
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