Prescriptivism Flashcards
1
Q
Define prescriptivism
A
The idea that language should be regulated and have specific standard/rules.
2
Q
What is Standard English
A
The ‘correct’ dialect of the English language.
3
Q
What is received pronunciation
A
The ‘proper’ way to speak English
4
Q
Robert Cawdry Example
A
A Table Alphabeticall, 1604
- dictionary
- not everyone could speak
- made for education, medicine and church
- first monolingual dictionary - national identity, Elizabeth I, religion/art/literature thrive
5
Q
Dr Jonathan Swift example
A
1712
- wrote a letter to the government to fix English
- came from are religious and state background
6
Q
Samuel Johnson example
A
1755
- classed as the first great dictionary
- 42,000 entries
- 9 years
-he realised that language is impossible to fix, instead he decided to record language rather than to form it.
