Perscriptivist Rules by Type Finding the Values in English Usage Manuals

Authors

Delaney Barney, Brigham Young University
Don Chapman, Brigham Young University

Keywords

perscriptivist rules, values in English usage manuals

College

Humanities

Department

English

Abstract

The popular view of usage manuals like Fowler’s Modern English Usage (1926) and Garner’s Modern American Usage (2003) is that they contain a well-established set of rules. We expect to find the same language rules we’ve been practicing since elementary school: say may I instead of can I when asking for permission, spell with “I” before “E,” and don’t split infinitives. Because most people only have one or two usage guides that they consult regularly, it’s easy to believe that they all have the same rules. I was interested in finding out how much variation there is from book to book. This research seeks to not only identify the differences between individual usage manuals, but to quantify those disparities as well.

Recommended Citation

Barney, Delaney and Chapman, Don (2018) "Perscriptivist Rules by Type Finding the Values in English Usage Manuals," Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2018: Iss. 1, Article 125.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2018/iss1/125