Tag Archives: prescriptivism

On who/whom in popular culture

Posted on February 29, 2024 by Ingrid Tieken

Just out, I wrote earlier today, New Horizons in Prescriptivism Research, and in it there is an article I wrote on the exploitation of who/whom as a usage problem in popular culture: television series, films, popular novels. And here is … Continue reading →

Posted in polls and surveys, usage features | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Out now – another very interesting book on prescriptivism

Posted on February 29, 2024 by Ingrid Tieken

Congratulations, editors Nuria Yañez-Bouza, María Esther Rodríguez-Gil and Javier Pérez-Guerra! You did a great job editing and publishing the proceedings of the 6th Prescriptivism conference held at Vigo in 2021. The book can now be ordered from Multilingual Matters, on … Continue reading →

Posted in news | Tagged , | Leave a comment

“Inputted” on the increase?

Posted on January 10, 2024 by Ingrid Tieken

On reading a PhD thesis from the University of Sheffield on the phonology of West Cornwall English (excellent data collection, detailed and very meticulous methodology description) I encountered the word inputted, which set me thinking. The context was very clearly … Continue reading →

Posted in usage features | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Soon coming out

Posted on November 30, 2023 by Ingrid Tieken

New Horizons in Prescriptivism Research, edited by Nuria Yáñez‐Bouza, María E. Rodríguez‐Gil and Javier Pérez‐Guerra, will by published by Multilingual Matters in the Spring. Congratulations, editors! Looking forward to seeing the book in print soon! Further details here.

Posted in announcement, news | Tagged | Leave a comment

The Routledge prescriptivism handbook

Posted on June 14, 2023 by Ingrid Tieken

My copy has arrived, and I’m immensely pleased to be holding it in my hands at last! Some figures: 1 book 3 editors, 2 members of the editorial board 3 parts, 26 papers plus 1 introduction and 1 afterword 45 … Continue reading →

Posted in news | Tagged | Leave a comment

Ian McEwan’s metalinguistic comments

Posted on January 2, 2023 by Ingrid Tieken

During the final month of 2022 I read two of Ian McEwan’s novels, an earlier one, Saturday (2005), and his most recent Lessons (2022). Ever since reading his short story “Mother tongue” (2001) I’ve been keeping track of his metalinguistic … Continue reading →

Posted in usage features | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Interactive TeamWork survey

Posted on July 28, 2022 by BtU Admin

On 28 October 2022, TeamWork will be organising a workshop session, called “The mysteries of brackets and old grammar chestnuts”. For more information as well as to register for this event, see the TeamWork website. One of the workshops will … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Is there a German complaint tradition?

Posted on December 14, 2021 by Ingrid Tieken

Milroy and Milroy, in Authority in Language (first published in 1985, but with a fourth edition in 2012), argue that English has a complaint tradition, with people writing Letters to the Editor about linguistic problems they encounter and usage guides … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Roadkill’s scriptwriters

Posted on October 22, 2021 by Ingrid Tieken

For a paper I’m writing on the use of who/whom I’m trying to get in touch with the scriptwriters of Roadkill, a British political thriller series that was broadcast in the UK and the US towards the end of 2020 … Continue reading →

Posted in usage features | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Le Carré’s main character spinning in his grave

Posted on October 17, 2021 by Ingrid Tieken

Reading another spy novel by John Le Carré, this time Absolute Friends (2003), I didn’t expect to come across any metalinguistic comments relating to prescriptivism since most of the novel is situated in Germany. But I did find this absolute … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment