Degree Name

Department

Linguistics and English Language

College

Humanities

Defense Date

2022-11-22

Publication Date

2022-12-07

First Faculty Advisor

Don Chapman

First Faculty Reader

Jacob Rawlins

Second Faculty Reader

Matthew Baker

Honors Coordinator

Don Chapman

Keywords

prescriptive discourse, lists, rules, editors, writers, English

Abstract

English prescriptive discourse generally shares language rules in the form of entries, many of which contain lists. However, while lists have recently caught the attention of scholars in several fields, not much if any research has been dedicated to the use of lists in prescriptive discourse. This thesis begins the exploration of the use of lists in prescriptive discourse by creating a taxonomy of lists found in prescriptive reference works such as usage guides and style guides. The study then discusses how characteristics of lists and of the categories featured in the taxonomy interact with prescription, opening the door for further investigation on the effects of list use on prescriptive discourse and those who use it.