Nonstandardly

Nonstandardly is an adverb meaning in a way that deviates from standard usage, form, or conventions. It is primarily used in linguistic description to refer to language features that do not align with a prescriptive standard, but it can also describe practices, styles, or behaviors outside mainstream norms.

In linguistics, nonstandardly labels the manner of speech or writing that diverges from a recognized standard variety. It often appears when describing dialectal features, unconventional spellings, or grammatical constructions that a grammar would not normally endorse. For example, researchers might analyze a sentence nonstandardly formed due to nonstandard syntax or morphology. In general discourse, the adverb is uncommon and largely confined to descriptive or academic contexts.

Etymology and formation: nonstandardly is formed by adding the adverbial suffix -ly to nonstandard, following ordinary English word-formation patterns. Its usage dates to the 19th century and is common in descriptive linguistics, where it helps distinguish description from normative judgments.

Related terms include nonstandard, nonstandard language, and linguistic descriptivism. The word is primarily a neutral descriptor used in scholarly writing; in everyday speech, speakers may prefer phrasing like “in a nonstandard way” to avoid potential prescriptivist connotations.