dragoninexistentialcrisis:

Telltale signs of becoming a linguist: genuine rage at condescending prescriptivism.

turnabout-taisa:

Since I’m a student that’s transferring into a linguistics program in the fall (yay!), I thought it would be a good idea to track the linguistics tag, so I have been. But there’s just one thing about you guys that confuses me (And this is a serious question here, not a criticism).

Prescriptivism - Why do you hate it?

According to Wikipedia, Prescriptivism “…denotes normative practices on such aspects of language use as spelling, grammar, pronunciation, and syntax. It includes judgments on what usages are socially proper and politically correct. Its aims may be to establish a standard language, to teach what is perceived within a particular society to be correct forms of language, or to advise on effective communication.”

What’s so bad about that? Really. I don’t get it.

It essentially boils down to the fact that linguistics is a science. Linguists are concerned with accurately gathering data from the language that people are actually speaking, and the only way to do that is descriptively. Prescriptivism is an attempt to change language to an arbitrary set of standards — it has no place in the science of linguistics. That’s strike one. Then the particular standards that people apply often go against what linguists know to be true about language based on our studies (like saying that a double negative is illogical when plenty of languages use them quite regularly). That’s strike two.

Finally, people often use their judgments of what’s right and wrong in language to discriminate against people using the ‘wrong’ form. Calling dialects ‘poor grammar’ or calling their speakers unintelligent is not just unscientific and scientifically misinformed; it’s an unfair attack on real human beings. That’s strike three, and that’s why a lot of us who have studied linguistics and are interested in social justice feel the need to speak out against the hateful sort of prescriptivism that people often perpetuate.

parrotbeak:

Every time someone says “X debuted first in Y”, I want to slap them as silly as their understanding of the word “debut” is.

Every time someone posts subjective opinions like this on the #linguistics tag, I want to wonder what on earth they think linguistics is, because it’s certainly not what any linguist does.

dropitlikeitsdarwinsorigins:

Most of the Linguist and Linguistics blogs I follow are rather filled with discussions, corrections, and comments in defense of Linguistics, language tolerance, descriptivism, linguistic tolerance, etc. By no means is this a bad thing, it’s just an observation I’ve made this evening. And I think it’s a good thing. 

Actually, I have a box of microwavable popcorn that’s now marked, “When Linguists Attack!” … Which is really just a joke, not suggesting that Linguists attack at all, but just a passing joke on my own side of things. 

It wasn’t my original intention to have my Tumblr be a blog like that… but Tumblr is a great platform for social justice education and advocacy. I’ve certainly had my horizons broadened on a number of issues in my time here, probably most notably on topics to do trans* people and asexuality. And there’s a shockingly low amount of knowledge out there about language variation and descriptivism… I just sort of found myself sliding into the role of a language SJA, and I think a lot of the other linguists on Tumblr would have similar stories.

scapegoatedbyagirl:

There’s a fine line between being a douchebag, intelligent and caring about grammar. Or maybe they’re all the same thing? I don’t know, I’m confusing myself.

What I’m trying to say is this: I know my theirs from my there’s but I don’t feel the need to fucking rage on about it all the time. Sure, I could never enter into a romantic relationship with someone who didn’t know how to use proper grammar, but I really don’t give a shit otherwise.

Nd newayz, i luv me sum txt-speak n shyt every 1nc in a whyl. Wot of it?

I really need to get to bed.

Being intelligent is most certainly not equivalent to correcting the grammar of others. Someone really being intelligent about language would consult the field of linguistics for information on it, and any linguist in the world would tell you that ‘proper’ grammar is no better or worse a system than any other variety.

Them:

I’d honestly rather spend my time speaking English as public schools teach it in America.. I will continue to use what a majority of professors consider proper English.  I have no interest in learning the rules of a language that is spoken by people I choose not to associate with.  Which is not racist, its judgmental.  Calling the white, black, Spanish and possible Asian people who speak that way less compatible with myself.  Not better or worse just different. 

Me:

I wasn’t suggesting you learn another variety. Linguistics is about understanding how language in general works, not learning how to speak different languages. It’s sort of like how you can read about music theory without learning how to play an instrument. Learning more about the nature of language might make you less judgmental. L-G’s book talks a lot about how language functions as a marker of cultural identity for many people. It should be respected just like someone’s religion or race.

It’s incredible to me that this conversation is staying so cordial, given how offensive their initial comments were and how hugely they keep misinterpreting my points.

derbydoom:

My graduation cap, featuring three things that have shaped my college experience:

• quidditch
• the queer community
• ….and tumblr. Herein rendered as Actual Cannibal Shia LaWug (wug being a linguistics experiment. And also adorable)

…..The number of people that will get all of the references on my hat is verrrrrrry small. Oops. 

Actual Cannibal Shia LaWug may just be the greatest thing I’ve ever seen.

didyoudrinkmygingerale:

glottalplosive:

selchieproductions:

They engage in Whorfare.

That is, until their problems with each other dis-Sapir.

I wanted to make another pun but Ladefuckit.

derpjerk:

Joy is in the ears that hear: derpjerk: Joy is in the ears that hear: roominations: lesserjoke:…

roominations:

derpjerk:

roominations:

lesserjoke:

roominations started following you

A linguistics nerd and a TWAMP! I love linguistics nerds and TWAMPs! Seriously, those are two of my favorite things in life.

Anyhoo, thanks for following! (And followed back, obvs.)

Wait, wait, what?  Did Lesserjoke go to William and Mary (the college I’m currently going to), or am I just reading this acronym wrong?

Yes! I graduated there in 2010. (And I’ll be back in Williamsburg this weekend for a friend’s wedding in the Wren Chapel!)

aaaah! twampy linguisticsy tumblr friends meet-up this weekend? or is that too much? haha

y’all are awesome.

Aha, I’m just a freshman, and not exactly twampy?  Give me time and I might be though!

And I’m not really all that into linguistics, to be honest.  I’m really interested in it but I don’t think I’m exactly intelligent enough for that sort of subject?  I think you’d only be disappointed if you met me/followed me, sorry :(

Linguistics is not something reserved for an elite! As a framework for considering language, it’s really something that anyone can grasp, and the William and Mary linguistics program is top-notch at teaching the basics. I would definitely recommend taking Study of Language some semester if you have an open spot. Everybody I know who took that class loved it, even if they never went on to take any other linguistics courses.

So I’m working on this Semantics II final, and it has me doing discourse representation structures for sentences like “Always, if a man likes every dog, he is crazy.” These all sound kind of funky, partly because it’s semantics and partly because my professor is not a native English speaker. But anyway, there’s lots of instances of “a man” in these sentences, and as a result, I keep hearing them in my head as if spoken by Jaqen H’ghar.

Twelve hours until this puppy is due. It’s going to be a long night…