NorMAS

Normas is the plural form of norma in Spanish and Portuguese, where it means rules, standards, or guidelines. It is used in law, business, engineering, science, and everyday speech to refer to agreed-upon models that regulate behavior or performance. The term derives from Latin norma, meaning a carpenter’s square or standard, and over time came to denote a model or rule to be followed.

In civil and administrative contexts, normas establish compulsory requirements and procedures. In industry and technology, normas técnicas or normas de calidad define specifications that products and processes must meet; international bodies adopt normas such as ISO and IEC standards that facilitate trade and safety. In social life, normas sociales shape behavior, etiquette, and expectations within a community.

In linguistics and anthropology, normative usage describes prescriptive norms—rules about correct or preferred language—and contrasts with descriptive approaches that record actual language use. The phrase norma culta refers to the educated, standard form of a language.

Notes: Normas is widely used in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries and appears in official documentation and education materials. Its precise sense depends on context: legal norms, technical standards, or social norms.