What is the approach to language study that focuses on how language is actually used by people rather than how it "should" be used?
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Descriptivism
Descriptive linguistics observes how people speak, whereas 'prescriptive' linguistics tries to dictate how they 'should' speak. Most modern linguists are descriptive.
Also asked as:
- What is the term for the linguistic approach that observes and records how language is actually spoken by its users?