Table of Contents
Introduction
Are you curious about the difference between prescriptive and descriptive grammar?
These two approaches to grammar reflect contrasting perspectives: one focuses on rules, while the other observes real-world usage.
In this post, we’ll explore their key differences with examples and explain how pedagogic grammar bridges the gap to meet learners’ needs.
Let’s start with the dichotomy “Prescriptive vs. Descriptive”
Prescriptive vs. Descriptive Grammar: Understanding the Difference
Let’s try to understand the difference between prescriptive and descriptive grammar. Let’s define each type:
What Is Prescriptive Grammar?
Prescriptive grammar is concerned with establishing rules for how language should be used. It differentiates between “correct” and “incorrect” usage and aims to uphold linguistic standards. This approach often reflects traditional grammar norms, which are codified in style guides and textbooks.
Example of Prescriptive Grammar
- “John is older than she.”
Prescriptive grammarians argue that “than” is a conjunction, so it must be followed by a subject pronoun (“she”), even if the verb “is” is implied.
Prescriptive grammar is often used in formal writing and education to ensure clarity, precision, and consistency.
What Is Descriptive Grammar?
Descriptive grammar focuses on how language is actually used by speakers. Instead of imposing rules, it observes and analyzes patterns in real-world communication, recognizing that language evolves over time.
Descriptive linguistics is said to be more objective because it analyzes and describes language as it is actually used by speakers.
Example of Descriptive Grammar
- “John is older than her.” Descriptive grammarians note that many speakers treat “than” as a preposition, making “her” (an object pronoun) acceptable. From this perspective, both forms (“John is older than she” and “John is older than her”) are valid because they reflect actual usage.
Descriptive grammar values linguistic diversity, embracing dialects, regional variations, and evolving forms of expression.
Key Differences Between Prescriptive and Descriptive Grammar
To summarize, here is a comparison of the two approaches:
Prescriptive vs. Descriptive:
| Feature | Prescriptive Grammar | Descriptive Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Rules on how language should be used | Analysis of how language is used |
| Goal | Distinguish correct vs. incorrect usage | Understand principles of actual usage |
| Example | “John is older than she” is correct | “John is older than her” reflects usage |
After clearing the confusion about the Prescriptive vs. Descriptive dichotomy, let’s understand pedagogic grammar!
What Is Pedagogic Grammar?
While prescriptive and descriptive grammars serve different purposes, neither is entirely suited to the needs of language learners. Pedagogic grammar addresses this gap by providing rules tailored to the classroom environment.
Pedagogic grammar simplifies complex linguistic concepts, ensuring they are:
- Meaningful: Rules should be contextualized and make sense to learners.
- Example: Teaching articles by focusing on real-life contexts (e.g., “a university” vs. “an honor”).
- Simple: Overly complicated explanations can confuse learners. Clear and concise rules are more effective.
- Example: Instead of “a” before consonants and “an” before vowels, explain that “a” precedes consonant sounds and “an” precedes vowel sounds.
- True: Rules must accurately reflect language use.
- Example: Highlight exceptions, such as “an hour” and “a university.”
- Graded: Teach simpler structures before moving on to more complex ones.
- Example: Start with the simple present tense before introducing the present perfect.
Examples of Descriptive and Prescriptive Grammar in Context
Sentence: “Everyone should bring their book.”
- Prescriptive View: “Their” is incorrect because it is a plural pronoun referring to a singular subject (“everyone”). The sentence should be: “Everyone should bring his or her book.”
- Descriptive View: “Their” is commonly used as a singular, gender-neutral pronoun in modern English, making the sentence acceptable.
Summary:
Prescriptive grammar provides a set of rules to distinguish good from bad language usage. Descriptive grammar, however, focuses on language as it is used by actual speakers and attempts to analyze it and formulate rules about it. Pedagogical grammar, however, helps in teaching language. Pedagogical grammarians have in mind the constraints of the students’ level of proficiency and the special characteristics of the classroom. Important criteria, such as meaningfulness, simplicity, truthfulness, and progression, have to be taken into consideration in syllabus design.
FAQs: Descriptive, Prescriptive, and Pedagogic Grammar
What are descriptive and prescriptive approaches in linguistics?
Descriptive linguistics studies language as it is used, while prescriptive approaches dictate how language should be used.
Why is descriptive grammar important?
Descriptive grammar helps us understand linguistic diversity, regional dialects, and evolving language forms.
How does pedagogic grammar help language learners?
Pedagogic grammar simplifies language rules to suit learners’ proficiency levels and classroom needs, bridging the gap between descriptive and prescriptive approaches.
Conclusion
Prescriptive grammar provides rules to distinguish “good” from “bad” usage, while descriptive grammar analyzes language as it is spoken and written. Pedagogic grammar bridges the gap by adapting these insights to create effective teaching materials. Together, these approaches offer a comprehensive understanding of language, benefiting both learners and linguists.
Embracing all three perspectives can help teachers create inclusive and effective learning environments that respect linguistic diversity while maintaining clarity and precision.