Descriptivism vs Prescriptivism(Chapter 4)

There were many studies of usage in America between the 1900 and 20th century. During the 20th century, the U.S. saw an increased division between adherents to the traditional prescriptive approach and proponents of more descriptive, relativistic studies. There were studies of grammar usage in the following areas: Modern English, Current English Usage, American English Grammar, and The English Language Arts. Each Study has its own proponents.

Modern English
One of the earliest studies of usage in America was done by George Phillip Krapp in 1909. The study was entitled Modern English. Its growth and Present Use. These studies had many flaws according to another author Edward Finnegan and his book "Attitudes towards English". Finnegan identifies four different areas where Krapp broke ground.

Current English Usage
This is another important usage study during the 20th century that had begun by Sterling Leonard. This study was significant because its based on its findings on a usage survey. This survey was sent to seven respondents, linguistic experts, leading businessmen, authors, editors of influential publications,NCTE members, members of the Modern Language Association and speech teachers. The respondents were asked to classify items according to their observations about actual usage by placing them into 3 categories: Literary English, Standard English and Naive English.

American English Grammar
Another important piece of work fro grammar usage was done by Charles C.Fries, which was American English Grammar. Fries method of collecting data was quite different from Sterling Leonard in many ways.
Frie based his study on actual letters written by Americans who were corresponding with the government;he examined 3000 letters or excerpts in all. Fries' began by using independent grounds to classfify the writers into 3 social groupings: Speakers of Standard English, Speakers of Common English and Speakers of Vulgar English.

His method was important because he inferred the linguistic traits of each group only after examining the groups educational and professional traits. Fries' work had also become contradicted by Finnegan, as well as all of the other studies.

The English Language Arts
This work was published by NCTE in 1952. It represents an official endorsement of the principle established by Krapp, Leonard, Fries and other descriptive linguists. It explained constant language changes, change is normal, spoken language is the language, correctness rest upon usage and all usage is relative.

However, even though this work was also examined by Finnegan, others promoting the doctrine of usage has continued into the second half of the 20th century.