[简答题]Do you prefer descriptive linguistics to prescriptive linguistics Give your reasons.

参考答案: Yes, I prefer descriptive linguistics to prescriptive linguistics.
The distinction between them lies in prescribing how things ought to be and describing how things are. Prescriptivism is to lay down rules for the correct use of language and settle the disputes over usage once and for all. Some usages were prescribed to be learned by heart, followed accurately or avoided altogether. It was a matter of black or white, right or wrong.
"To say that linguistics is a descriptive (i.e. non-normative) science is to say that the linguist tries to discover and record the rules to which the members of a language community actually conform and does not seek to impose upon them other (i.e. extraneous) rules, or norms, of correctness." (Lyons, AIHA:DG)
Language changes and develops in accordance with the development of society. The nature of linguistics as a science determines its preoccupation with description instead of prescription. Modem linguistics is mostly descriptive. It differs from earlier studies of language normally known as "grammar" in that the latter is based on "high" (religious, literary) written language. It aims to set models for language users to follow. On the other hand, modern linguistics is supposed to be scientific and objective and its task is to describe the language people actually use, be it "correct" or not. Of course, this does not mean that there are not rules governing the language use. Modem linguists believe that whatever occurs in the language people use should be described and analyzed in their investigation.
答案解析: [解析] 此题考查的是考生对语言学中的规定式和描写式的理解。这两者之间的区别在于，前者说明事情应该如何，而后者描述事情本是怎样。规定式是指语法学家尝试为正确使用语言定下各种规则，一劳永逸地解决用