nonprescriptively

Nonprescriptively is an adverb describing an approach, analysis, or description conducted without applying prescriptive norms or rules. The term derives from nonprescriptive, meaning not prescribing—i.e., not setting fixed standards of correctness—and is commonly used in linguistics, education, and policy discourse.

In linguistics, describing language nonprescriptively means documenting how language is actually used across communities, registers, and historical periods, rather than prescribing how it should be used. A nonprescriptive stance is often aligned with descriptive grammar, corpus linguistics, and usage studies, which report patterns and variabilities such as dialect features, colloquial forms, or emerging constructions without endorsing them as obligatory or improper.

Nonprescriptively can also apply to writing guidelines, software interfaces, or policy development, where recommendations are framed as possibilities rather than rules. For example, a nonprescriptive style guide might indicate that certain stylistic choices are acceptable in either of several forms, rather than mandating one "correct" form.

Critics argue that nonprescriptive approaches may obscure normative expectations that facilitate clear communication or learning outcomes. Proponents counter that nonprescriptivism captures language as it is used and supports inclusion and linguistic accuracy.