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Introduction
This essay critically discusses the similarities and differences between prescriptive
and descriptive grammars. According to Cambridge Dictionary, grammar is the series of rules to change the form and combination of words to from sentences. Prescriptive and Descriptive grammars are the branch of grammar. John said, “[t]he purpose of teaching grammar is not to teach men how to speak, but to speak correctly and according to the exact rules of the tongue. (Kolln, 5)’ this concept today we call prescriptive grammar. By contrast, ‘descriptive grammar is describing how language is used rather than prescribing how it should be used. (Collins, 17)’
Prescriptive and descriptive grammars have same aim: limit people to use language ‘inappropriately’, although two types of grammars are based on the different norms. Prescriptive grammar provides the universal roles, such as tense, part of speech, sentence structure for the basic usage of language. ‘Descriptive grammar describes the way people speak in daily life (Kolln, 6)’ .Descriptive grammar has no inherent role but the norm of the descriptive grammar is the effective communication. For example, descriptive grammar avoids using the stylistically bulky sentences to interfere the understanding, such as too much relative clause putting in the same sentences. Hence, prescriptive grammar provides the basic sentence structure and descriptive grammar let the sentence become effective and simple in communication. This is why two of the grammars are the vital roles of the wide use of one language.
Mentioned before, prescriptive and descriptive grammars are based on different norms. Prescriptive grammar pursues the state of perfection in language structure and use. Also, prescriptive grammarians cannot accept the change in language. For example, prescriptive grammar avoids faddish neologisms like ‘author’. Because those experts of prescriptive grammar worry about using new words will debase the value of the language. Nevertheless, descriptive grammar describes how language is used in reality. This means that the grammar system is underlying the use of language. Effective communication is the descriptive grammarians’ major concern. For instance, ‘long time no see’ is introduced by Chinese culture. Obviously, it violates the basic grammar rules; however it can still acceptable in descriptive grammar. Because it still have majority of English users accepted it and applied it in their real life for greeting. It proof that this sentence can still effectively use in communication. These two examples indicate that a difference between descriptive and prescriptive grammars;
In no circumstances will prescriptive grammar accept the ‘new words’ to affect the value of Language adversely. On the other hand, descriptive grammar will accept the foreign or ‘new words’ if it is widely used in the real life.
Prescriptive grammar must have the standard and unique rules to follow, thus the sentences which violating the roles will be classified as’ incorrect’ or ‘ungrammatical’
For instance, prescriptive grammar forbids interposing the word or phases between infinitival marker to and its verb, as the example followed:
She used to carelessly break the glasses.
In spite of the prescriptive grammar, this sentence must change to ‘She used carelessly to break the glasses’ or ‘She used to break the glasses carelessly’ as ‘correct’. However, descriptive grammar has no inherent correctness or incorrectness. Thus, this sentence is acceptable in descriptive grammar if the ‘mistake’ will not distract the understanding of the sentence. Using the other example,
Here is a photograph that a boy that my sister met in school last week.
This sentence does not break or violate any grammatical role so that this sentence is ‘correct’ in prescriptive grammar. However, this sentence is awkward and bulky. The reader can misunderstand the meaning of the sentence easily. Hence, it is not an effective communication and unacceptable in descriptive grammar. Based on these examples, it illustrates the difference between two types of grammar: prescriptive grammar focuses on the perfection on the rules of language, descriptive grammar focuses on the usage of language.
Conclusion
There are the huge differences between descriptive and prescriptive grammars but they have not in conflict. Two types of grammars simply have two different goals.
Descriptive grammar intends people to use language ‘correctly’. Prescriptive grammar focuses on the usage of language rather than the grammar system. Also, two types of grammars are complementary. Focusing too much on prescriptive grammar will make the sentence awkward .On the contrary; it will create misunderstanding to the reader or listener. Mature language users should strike a balance between two grammars.
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