From Haugen’s codification to Thomas’s purism: assessing the role of description and prescription, prescriptivism and purism in linguistic standardisation

Haugen’s model (1972 [1966]) of standardisation has been widely adopted in general histories of particular languages, not least because of its clarity and simplicity. In this article, I focus on its treatment of codification, with a view to suggesting refinements to this part of the model. In particular, I discuss the relationship between codification and prescription on the one hand, and between prescriptivism and purism on the other. Haugen makes no distinction between codification and prescription either in the original version of his model (Haugen 1972 [1966]), or in its revised version (Haugen 1987). Indeed, he seems to consider codification and prescription as broadly interchangeable, suggesting that the typical products of codification are a prescriptive orthography, grammar and dictionary. Whilst Milroy and Milroy (1991) do differentiate codification and prescription, neither model mentions purism, although Deumert and Vandenbussche (2003) argue that it is essential to consider its role in the history of standardisation. I offer definitions of the different terms and argue that, when considering the role of prescriptivism and purism in linguistic standardisation, it is important to distinguish between the author’s/work’s intention, use of metalanguage, and effect. Finally, I adapt George Thomas’s model for assessing purism to the assessment of prescriptivism, thereby avoiding viewing prescription and description as a simple dichotomy.This research, part of the Multilingualism: Empowering Individuals, Transforming Societies research project, was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) under its Open World Research Initiative

Vegetables and truck for home use - Delta Branch Station

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Corn variety tests 1913 to 1920 - Delta Branch Station

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Revivification

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Periodization, Translation, Prescription and the Emergence of Classical French

In this article we demonstrate how fine-grained analysis of salient features of linguistic change over a relatively short, but significant period can help refine our notions of periodization. As our case study, we consider whether it is appropriate to distinguish a period called français préclassique (‘Pre-Classical French’), and if so, what its temporal limits are. As our contemporary informants we take, on the one hand, the comments of writers of remarks on the French language, who were highly conscious of language change, and on the other, usage in successive French translations of the same Latin source text which can be exploited to track and date the adoption of ‘modern’ linguistic variants. We find atypical patterns of change – and notably changes which move rapidly through Labov’s different stages – that contribute to the sense of discontinuity or periodization. However, this sense of ‘rupture’ does not coincide with the chronological boundaries hitherto suggested for français préclassique, thus throwing the validity of this period into question.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Wiley via http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-968X.1208

Ex Utero Intrapartum Treatment for Fetal Oropharyngeal Cyst

Background. A prenatally diagnosed fetal anomaly that could compromise the fetal airway at delivery can be managed safely with the ex utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) procedure. Case. A 26-year-old healthy primigravida was diagnosed during her midtrimester anatomic ultrasound survey with a fetal oropharyngeal cystic structure located at the base of the tongue. The neonatal airway was successfully secured intrapartum using the EXIT procedure. Conclusion. Maintenance of fetoplacental circulation until the fetal airway is secured has been described for a multitude of fetal anomalies including cystic hygroma and teratoma. The literature also recounts its use for the reversal of tracheal plugging for congenital diaphragmatic hernia. A multidisciplinary approach to the antenatal and intrapartum care is essential for the successful management of these cases

A systematic review of associations between environmental exposures and development of asthma in children aged up to 9 years

Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.Peer reviewedPublisher PD