Which claim reflects a critical stance toward prescriptive authorities like Lowth and Murray?

Which claim reflects a critical stance toward prescriptive authorities like Lowth and Murray?

• A. They criticized Lowth and Murray for looking down on the working class.
• B. They praised Lowth and Murray for elevating working-class speech.
• C. They believed Lowth and Murray promoted uniform spelling.
• D. They argued Lowth and Murray invented new words.

Answer: (A)

A critical stance toward prescriptive authorities is shown by recognizing and calling out the attitude behind their rules. The statement that they criticized Lowth and Murray for looking down on the working class directly challenges the social power embedded in language policing, highlighting how those authorities can impose standards that reflect class bias rather than neutral, objective rules. Prescriptivists like Lowth and Murray advocated a fixed standard; pointing out their condescension reveals the critique of how language authority can marginalize particular speech communities. The other options either align with praise (elevating working-class speech), describe the authorities’ actions (promoting uniform spelling), or present an unrelated claim (inventing new words), which do not express a critical stance.

A critical stance toward prescriptive authorities is shown by recognizing and calling out the attitude behind their rules. The statement that they criticized Lowth and Murray for looking down on the working class directly challenges the social power embedded in language policing, highlighting how those authorities can impose standards that reflect class bias rather than neutral, objective rules. Prescriptivists like Lowth and Murray advocated a fixed standard; pointing out their condescension reveals the critique of how language authority can marginalize particular speech communities. The other options either align with praise (elevating working-class speech), describe the authorities’ actions (promoting uniform spelling), or present an unrelated claim (inventing new words), which do not express a critical stance.