That is indeed a fine thrashing.
"Prescriptivism" is nothing more than linguistic elitism, and like any elitism it's used as a club to harm the people least able to fight back. I despise it, and that's why I get testy with anyone who defends it and is used by others to defend it.
And God help the prescriptivist who stumbles within range of LH's guns.
Although my high school English teacher, a formidable lady, tried to get me into linguistics - had me read Chomsky, the linguist, a good soporific - and channeled me into the debate you linked, I had no stomach for that kind of thing.
Language evolves like anything else. I am a bit of a crank regarding certain things, e.g., the use of nouns to form awkward verbs - to gift, incentivize, remediate, etc., but it is simply style to me. Use of these formulations is like farting loudly at church, but innocently. |
