#12 - Global Reference, Must Be True, Subject Perspective

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

The correct answer choice is (C).

Answer choice (A):

Answer choice (B):

Answer choice (C): This is the correct answer choice.

Answer choice (D):

Answer choice (E):

This explanation is still in progress. Please post any questions below!

[fortunateking]

Why is (C)?
It seems that the author thinks egalitarianism inclusion (free exchange of ideas)
but where in this passage did it say that descriptive approach may undermine these ideals?

[Rachael Wilkenfeld]

We can infer it from the last paragraph, fortunateking. The passage states that prescriptivists point to the importance of the free exchange of ideas as a response to concerns about egalitarianism. In the prescriptivist view, the free exchange of ideas is critical for egalitarianism, and the descriptivist system undermines the free exchange of ideas by allowing a variety of forms of grammar and communication. By combining these ideas, we can get that the prescriptivists would agree that the descriptivists don't recognize the way in which allowing many different forms of grammar undermines the clarity of communication.

[wdrosenfeld@yahoo.com]

Could some more clarity be provided on why answer choice E is wrong? Is it because this is not a view that is explicitly held by the prescriptivists?

[Jeff Wren]

Hi wdrosenfeld,

That's exactly correct.

In the passage, we get very little in terms of viewpoint of the prescriptivists. The first paragraph describes their general view of preserving traditionally grammatically "correct" language.

The prescriptivist viewpoint doesn't return until the end of the passage, where the author describes their defense of prescriptivism against the attack (made by the descriptivists) that prescriptivism is not egalitarian.

[mollylynch]

I am so confused about this question. How do we go from egalitarianism to clarity of communication?

[Luke Haqq]

Hi mollylynch!

This question asks us what view prescriptivists would likely have of descriptivists. Answer choice (C) states, "Descriptivists fail to recognize the ways in which their own approach may undermine egalitarian ideals."

The best support for answer choice (C) is found in the last two sentences of the passage: "In response to the egalitarian objection, prescriptivists point to the importance of standard language usage for the free exchange of ideas. Those to whom preservation of the standard is entrusted inevitably possess some of the attributes of an elite, but their aim is one of inclusion rather than exclusion."

The descriptivists raise the egalitarian objection against prescriptivists (see the second paragraph). The prescriptivists respond by saying that prescriptivism is to some extent is needed for the free exchange of ideas. Moreover, rather than just being elites imposing their views of language on others, the goal "is one of inclusion rather than exclusion." So the prescriptivists are suggesting that their preference for standards promotes the free exchange of ideas and inclusion of everyone--an egalitarian ideal--in contrast to descriptivists.

[averifoster1@gmail.com]

I can see why C is right, but could someone explain how B is wrong?

[Adam Tyson]

It's because there is no evidence in the passage that the prescriptivists feel that way, averifoster1@gmail.com. The descriptivists are the ones accusing the prescriptivists of being unscientific. At no point do the prescriptivists try to turn that around and say it's the opposite. The author just says that some attempts to regulate language have succeeded, and that's meant to be a defense against the "unscientific" claim.

If you're still inclined to like answer B, try this: find and quote the exact words in the text that support the claim made in that answer. If you can't find any, you should confidently eliminate that answer from consideration.

[averifoster1@gmail.com]

It's because there is no evidence in the passage that the prescriptivists feel that way, averifoster1@gmail.com. The descriptivists are the ones accusing the prescriptivists of being unscientific. At no point do the prescriptivists try to turn that around and say it's the opposite. The author just says that some attempts to regulate language have succeeded, and that's meant to be a defense against the "unscientific" claim.

If you're still inclined to like answer B, try this: find and quote the exact words in the text that support the claim made in that answer. If you can't find any, you should confidently eliminate that answer from consideration.

That helps, thank you!