The Historical Development Of Prescriptivism And Descriptivism In English Lexicography

Prescriptivism and descriptivism are two guiding principles in compiling English dictionaries. They are opposite to each other in theory. General English dictionaries following the different principle differ from one another in the fields of entry inclusion, definition, and treatment of usage etc. These two principles came into being in their respective historical situations meeting the special demand of the nation and people. Both of them played important roles in promoting the development of the English language and English lexicography. It is of significance to study the development and trend of prescriptivism and descriptivism in English lexicography and their application in lexicographical practice. This thesis studies the historical development and dialectic relationship between prescriptivism and descriptivism in English lexicography by analyzing the compiling background, the guiding principle, the macrostructure and microstructure of the representative English dictionaries at different historical periods.The thesis falls into six parts: Introduction; Chapter One: Prescriptivism and Descriptivism in Linguistics; Chapter Two: A Historical Review of Prescriptivism and Descriptivism in English Lexicography; Chapter Three: The Descriptive Trend in Modern English Lexicography; Chapter Four: The Complementary Relationship between Prescriptivism and Descriptivism in English Lexicographical Practice; Conclusion.The thesis begins with a brief introduction of prescriptivism and descriptivism in English lexicography with the following research question posed: How do prescriptivism and descriptivism develop in the history of English lexicography? Meanwhile, the necessity and significance of the study is expounded.Chapter One is a general consideration of the developing trend of prescriptivism and descriptivism in linguistics.Chapter Two reviews the history of English lexicography from 1755 to 1961, during which prescriptivism underwent the losing of its dominance in English lexicography and its gradualreplacement by descriptivism. The prescriptive tradition in English lexicography was established with the publication of A Dictionary of the English Language in1755. An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828) was an American representative work of English prescriptive lexicography. The publication of The Oxford English Dictionary (1884-1928) marked the felling of prescriptivism and the beginning of descriptivism in English lexicography. In 1961, Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language was published. This dictionary was severely attacked and a quarrel over prescriptivism and descriptivism was raised upon its publication, yet it was finally accepted as a representative work of English descriptive lexicography by the public.Chapter Three illustrates the descriptive trend in modern English lexicography. The success of W3 marks the victory of descriptivism in English lexicography and most modern English dictionaries are compiled following the descriptive principle.In Chapter Four, the present writer analyses the relationship between prescriptivism and descriptivism in English lexicographical practice and points out that despite the descriptive trend in modern English lexicography, it is impossible and unacceptable to abandon prescriptivism totally. Prescriptivism is also important in compiling pedagogical dictionaries.The final part is a conclusion, in which the main ideas of this writer are boiled down to the following statements: English lexicography was dominated by prescriptivism in the eighteenth century and the most part of the nineteenth century, and descriptivism take the dominant place in the twentieth century. However, the importance of prescriptivism cannot be ignored in modem English lexicography. Neither absolute prescriptivism nor total descriptivism could be carried out in lexicographical practice. The two principles are complementary to each other and should be applied in accordance with the purpose of the dictionaries and the need of the dict...