descriptivism
|de-scrip-tiv-ism|
/dɪˈskrɪptɪvɪzəm/
describe rather than prescribe
Etymology
'descriptivism' originates from English, formed from the adjective 'descriptive' plus the suffix '-ism', where 'descriptive' ultimately comes from Latin 'describere' (de- 'down' + scribere 'to write') and suffix '-ism' comes from Greek '-ismos' via Latin and French meaning 'practice, system, or doctrine'.
'descriptivism' developed as a noun in modern English from 'descriptive' (from Latin describere via Old French) combined with the productive English suffix '-ism'; it became established in 19th–20th century discussions, especially in linguistics, contrasting with 'prescriptivism'.
Initially related to the more general sense 'the quality or practice of describing', it evolved into a technical and ideological term meaning 'the doctrine or approach that emphasizes description over prescription', particularly in linguistics.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an approach in linguistics that describes how language is actually used rather than prescribing rules for how it should be used; the doctrine or practice of emphasizing description over prescription.
Descriptivism argues that linguists should record and analyze how people actually speak instead of imposing prescriptive rules.
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Noun 2
more generally, a tendency or policy of describing phenomena as they are instead of judging or prescribing how they ought to be.
In ethics or cultural studies, descriptivism can refer to analyses that focus on observed practices rather than moral prescriptions.
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Last updated: 2025/12/24 14:26