M2

Note: Any word, phrase, sentence or paragraph that I consider to be wrong is shown in red. And any text I consider to be questionable is followed by a question mark: .

Request 1: Explain the difference between the descriptivist and the prescriptivist approach to language.

Response 1: Descriptivism and prescriptivism are two different approaches to language, each with its own goals and methods.

Descriptivism is an approach to language that aims to describe how people actually use language in everyday communication, without judging whether those usages are correct or incorrect. Descriptivists believe that language is constantly changing, and that it is important to document and understand those changes in order to better understand how language functions in society. They often rely on empirical research, such as corpus linguistics, to gather data about language use, and may describe language in terms of dialects, registers, and other varieties.

Prescriptivism, on the other hand, is an approach to language that aims to prescribe how people should use language, according to a set of rules or standards. Prescriptivists believe that there is a "correct" way to use language, and that it is important to uphold those standards in order to maintain clarity, precision, and coherence in communication. They often rely on authority, tradition, and usage manuals to determine what is "correct" in language, and may prescribe certain usages while prohibiting others.

In general, descriptivists tend to be more accepting of language variation and change, while prescriptivists tend to be more concerned with maintaining standards and enforcing rules. However, it is worth noting that these are not necessarily mutually exclusive approaches, and many linguists and language users may adopt elements of both approaches depending on the context and their own beliefs about language.

Request 2: Give five examples of where they disagree on an English usage.

Response 2: Here are five examples of English usage where descriptivists and prescriptivists may disagree:

• 1. Split infinitives: A split infinitive occurs when an adverb is placed between "to" and a verb, as in "to boldly go." Descriptivists generally have no problem with split infinitives, whereas prescriptivists may consider them grammatically incorrect and prefer to keep the adverb before or after the infinitive.
• 2. Singular "they": The singular "they" is a gender-neutral pronoun used to refer to a person of unspecified gender, as in "Everyone should do what they think is right." Descriptivists have increasingly accepted the use of singular "they" in modern English, whereas prescriptivists may consider it grammatically incorrect and prefer to use gendered pronouns or avoid the issue altogether.
• 3. Prepositions at the end of sentences: Ending a sentence with a preposition, such as in "Where are you at?", is generally accepted by descriptivists, whereas prescriptivists may consider it a grammatical error and prefer to rephrase the sentence to avoid ending with a preposition.
• 4. Double negatives: Using two negatives in a sentence, such as in "I didn't do nothing," is considered incorrect by prescriptivists, who argue that two negatives cancel each other out and create a positive. Descriptivists may observe that double negatives are used in some dialects of English and in certain contexts, and therefore are part of the language.
• 5. Using "hopefully" as a sentence adverb: Using "hopefully" to mean "in a hopeful manner" or "with hope" as a sentence adverb, as in "Hopefully, the weather will be nice tomorrow," is generally accepted by descriptivists. However, prescriptivists may consider it a misuse of the word, as it was originally an adverb that modified verbs, not entire sentences.

Request 3: "Please let Mary and I know the date of the meeting". Explain the difference assessment of the grammaticality of this sentence by the descriptivists and the prescriptivists.

Response 3: The sentence "Please let Mary and I know the date of the meeting" is an example of a disputed point of English grammar that descriptivists and prescriptivists may have different assessments of.

Descriptivists would describe this sentence as a common example of hypercorrection, where speakers or writers attempt to apply a rule of grammar too broadly and overcorrect their usage. In this case, the use of "I" instead of "me" is often seen as an attempt to sound more formal or educated, even though it is not grammatically correct in this context. Descriptivists would note that this usage of "Mary and I" is common in spoken and written English and that it is a natural development in the evolution of the language.

Prescriptivists, on the other hand, would consider this sentence to be grammatically incorrect. They would argue that "Mary and I" should only be used as the subject of a sentence, and that the correct form in this sentence would be "Please let Mary and me know the date of the meeting." Prescriptivists would argue that using "I" in this context is a common mistake and that it should be avoided in formal writing or speech.

In summary, while descriptivists would describe this sentence as a common example of hypercorrection, prescriptivists would consider it to be grammatically incorrect and advise against using "Mary and I" in this context.

Request 4: Give me five more examples of hypercorrection.

Response 4: Here are five more examples of hypercorrection in English:

• 1. Using "whom" instead of "who" in the wrong context: This is a common example of hypercorrection where "whom" is used as an object pronoun even when "who" is correct. For example, saying "Whom did you give the book to?" instead of "Who did you give the book to?"
• 2. Overusing "myself": This is a common example of hypercorrection where "myself" is used instead of "me" or "I" in a sentence. For example, saying "He gave the document to myself" instead of "He gave the document to me" or "He and I."
• 3. Misusing "less" and "fewer": This is a common example of hypercorrection where "less" is used instead of "fewer" when referring to items that can be counted. For example, saying "I have less pencils" instead of "I have fewer pencils."
• 4. Overusing "whilst": This is a common example of hypercorrection where "whilst" is used instead of "while" in a sentence. For example, saying "Whilst I was studying, I heard a noise" instead of "While I was studying, I heard a noise."
• 5. Avoiding ending a sentence with a preposition: This is a common example of hypercorrection where a sentence is rephrased to avoid ending with a preposition. For example, saying "On what did you step?" instead of "What did you step on?"

Request 5: How is "Whom did you give the book to?" a hypercorrection?

Response 5: I apologize for any confusion in my earlier response. "Whom did you give the book to?" is not an example of hypercorrection. It is a grammatically correct sentence that uses "whom" as the object of the verb "give."

Hypercorrection occurs when a speaker or writer over-applies a rule of grammar or language in an attempt to sound more correct or formal, often leading to an incorrect usage. For example, using "whom" instead of "who" in a context where "who" is correct would be an example of hypercorrection.

Once again, I apologize for any confusion my previous response may have caused.

Request 6: Give an example of when "whom" is indeed a hypercorrection.

Response 6: An example of when "whom" can be a hypercorrection is when it is used as the subject of a sentence, instead of the object. For example, saying "Whom is going to the party?" instead of "Who is going to the party?" is a hypercorrection.

In this case, the speaker is attempting to apply the rule that "whom" is the object pronoun and "who" is the subject pronoun, but is using "whom" incorrectly as the subject of the sentence. The correct form would be to use "who" as the subject pronoun in this context.

Request 7: In what way is "overusing" the same as "hypercorrecting" - e.g. "whilst" in your point 4. above?

Response 7: In the context of language use, "overusing" and "hypercorrecting" can be similar in that both involve an overemphasis on a particular word or phrase, which can lead to incorrect usage or awkward phrasing.

For example, overusing the word "whilst" in a sentence can lead to awkward phrasing or be seen as overly formal, which can make it a target for hypercorrection. Similarly, hypercorrecting the use of "whilst" by replacing it with "while" in all contexts can be seen as overcorrecting, and can lead to incorrect usage or awkward phrasing.

Overall, both overusing and hypercorrecting can result in nonstandard or awkward language usage. However, overusing implies repetition, while hypercorrecting involves applying a rule too broadly or overcorrecting a usage.

Request 8: In what way is using "less" instead of "fewer" a hypercorrection rather than a simple ignorance of the correct word in the context?

Response 8: I apologize for any confusion in my earlier response. Using "less" instead of "fewer" is not a hypercorrection, but rather an error in using the correct word in the given context.

Hypercorrection involves applying a grammatical rule too broadly or incorrectly, often in an attempt to sound more correct or formal. In the case of "less" versus "fewer," the rule is straightforward: "fewer" should be used when referring to items that can be counted, while "less" should be used when referring to quantities or amounts that cannot be counted.

Using "less" instead of "fewer" in contexts where "fewer" is correct is simply an error in using the correct word in the given context, rather than a hypercorrection. For example, saying "I have less pencils" instead of "I have fewer pencils" is an error in using the correct word for a countable item, and not an attempt to apply a grammatical rule too broadly or incorrectly.

Request 9: Does your last retraction about "less" also apply to your claim about the pied-piping of the preposition to the start of the sentence in "On what did you step?".?

Response 9: No, my retraction about the use of "less" versus "fewer" does not apply to my claim about pied-piping of the preposition in the sentence "On what did you step?".

The pied-piping of the preposition to the beginning of the sentence is a grammatical construction that can be used in certain contexts to emphasize the preposition and create a more formal or poetic effect. In this case, the preposition "on" is pied-piped to the beginning of the sentence, creating a more formal or elevated tone.

While some prescriptive grammars may consider pied-piping to be an incorrect usage, many modern descriptivist grammars recognize it as a valid construction that can be used for stylistic effect. Therefore, my initial claim about the pied-piping of the preposition in "On what did you step?" stands as a valid grammatical construction.

Request 10: Ok, but is pied-piping a hypercorrection, as you imply?

Response 10: I apologize for any confusion caused by my earlier response. Pied-piping is not a hypercorrection, but rather a grammatical construction that is sometimes used for stylistic effect.

Hypercorrection occurs when a speaker or writer over-applies a rule of grammar or language in an attempt to sound more correct or formal, often leading to an incorrect usage. Pied-piping, on the other hand, is a valid grammatical construction in which a preposition is moved to the beginning of a sentence along with the word it governs, as in "On what did you step?"

While some prescriptive grammars may view pied-piping as an incorrect or overly formal usage, it is recognized as a valid construction in many modern descriptivist grammars, particularly in formal or literary contexts. Therefore, it is not accurate to describe pied-piping as a hypercorrection.