Attitudes To Language Change

Question 1

Prescriptivists

Answer 1

Correct way to use language
Preserve standard forms
Standard English and RP as superior

Disgree with: rising intonation in declarative statements, american spellings, split infinitives, grammatical conversion, beginning sentences with conjuctions and ending with prepositions and double superlatives

Dr Samuel Johnson
Robert Lowth
Jonathan Swift
Lynn Truss

Question 2

Descriptivists

Answer 2

Objectively observe and record language as it is used, not to judge
Consider different language use as variation rather than wrong or deficient

Oxford English Dictionary
Jean Aitchison (Damp Spoon, Crumbling Castle, Infectious Disease)
David Crystal
Freeborn (the Incorrectness view, the Ugliness view, the Impreciseness view)
Trudgill
Cameron

Question 3

Damp Spoon Symdrome

Answer 3

language change is due to laziness