prescriptive grammar

an approach to grammar in which a series of rules is used to distinguish proper from improper usage and a standard version of the language is identified and promoted (see standard language). It is often contrasted with descriptive grammar, in which the goal is to provide an accurate account of language use without specification as to correctness. Prescriptive grammarians seek to correct nonstandard forms, such as I can’t get no satisfaction, whereas descriptive grammarians seek to characterize the rule system that produces such utterances.

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Psychology term of the day

May 9th 2024

risk-assessment matrix

a table used to prioritize hazards on the basis of risk, which is defined by the intersection between the probability of the hazards and the severity of their consequences. Also called hazard-assessment matrix.