Prescriptivists

Prescriptivists are proponents of prescriptivism, an approach to language that seeks to enforce rules and norms about how a language should be used. They argue that language should conform to established standards to promote clarity, consistency, and social cohesion. In practice, prescriptivists focus on grammar, spelling, punctuation, and usage, offering judgments about what constitutes “correct” forms and often presenting normative guidance as models to follow.

Historically, prescriptivism emerged with the rise of standard language ideals in the early modern and modern periods. Grammar books and dictionaries were used to stabilize English and other languages, with influential figures proposing rules to govern syntax, style, and form. Common examples of prescriptive concerns include avoiding split infinitives, not ending sentences with prepositions in formal writing, and preferring particular spellings or constructions as correct. Later, style guides and editors—such as those in academia and journalism—became prominent vehicles for prescriptive guidance.

Critics, particularly descriptivists, argue that language constantly evolves and that prescriptive rules can be arbitrary, biased, or exclusionary of dialect and variation. Descriptivists study actual language use across communities and contexts without assigning inherent right or wrong. In contemporary practice, prescriptivist guidance remains influential in education, publishing, and professional writing, often complemented by descriptive analyses that document how language is used in real life. The balance between maintaining standards and recognizing linguistic change continues to shape discussions about what counts as correct usage.