Språkregler

Språkregler are the set of norms that govern how a language is written and spoken. They cover syntax, morphology, orthography, punctuation, and stylistics, and are intended to ensure clarity, consistency and mutual intelligibility among users. In many languages, formal rules are codified by an official institute, a dictionary, or a grammar reference. In Swedish, for instance, the Svenska Akademiens ordlista and Grammatik is the primary source of normative spelling and grammar guidance. In other languages, such as English, grammar books, style guides, and the United States Board on Geographic Names provide overlapping sets of standards.

These rules can be classified as prescriptive or descriptive. Prescriptive rules prescribe how language should be used by speakers and writers, while descriptive rules describe how language is actually used in everyday communication. Most academic writing and official documentation rely on prescriptive guidance to avoid ambiguity and maintain professionalism. In journalism, style guides like The Associated Press or Chicago Manual of Style serve a similar function, offering consistent rules for capitalization, abbreviation, and quotation usage.

Culture and society shape language rules over time, making them dynamic and responsive to change. New words, changing collocations, or evolving attitudes toward gendered language often provoke updates to existing guidelines. The balance between stabilizing norms and permitting linguistic evolution is a central concern for language policymakers and educators.