Deskriptív

Deskriptív is a Hungarian term used to label approaches that describe phenomena as they exist, without imposing normative judgments or prescriptions. It is applied across disciplines to denote non-normative, data-driven, or summarizing perspectives.

In linguistics, deskriptív nyelvészet aims to document how language is actually used by speakers and communities. It analyzes phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and sociolinguistic variation across dialects and contexts. It contrasts with preskriptív nyelvtan, which prescribes correct forms and usage.

In statistics, deskriptív statisztika refers to methods that summarize a dataset rather than infer broader population parameters. Common tools include measures of central tendency such as the mean and median, measures of dispersion such as range and standard deviation, and visual summaries like frequency distributions, charts, and tables.

In research methodology, descriptive research or descriptive analysis describes characteristics of a population or phenomenon based on observations, surveys, or case studies, without experimental manipulation or causal claims. It provides a descriptive snapshot rather than explanations of why events occur.

The term derives from Latin descriptus and French descriptif and is widely used in Hungarian to distinguish descriptive approaches from prescriptive or explanatory ones. Its limitation is that it documents what is observed but does not, by itself, explain causes or mechanisms.