Language Standards

noun a belief in or advocacy of a particular linguistic prescription, as in grammar or usage

• Prescriptivism is a linguistic ideology that emphasizes following strict rules in language usage.
• Some people are really into prescriptivism and get upset when others don't follow grammar rules.
• Prescriptivism is like grammar police, always telling you what you should and shouldn't say.
• In the world of writing, prescriptivism can sometimes feel like a straightjacket, limiting creativity and expression.

noun a person who advocates or adheres to a prescriptive attitude or doctrine, especially in language usage

• The prescriptivist linguist argued that certain grammar rules must be followed at all times.
• My friend is such a prescriptivist when it comes to punctuation in text messages.
• Don't be such a prescriptivist about how I speak, it's annoying.
• The chef was a prescriptivist when it came to following the recipe exactly.