Fixing the English Language
The English language first developed from the Germanic branch of the Indo-European languages. One of the major changes in the language from Old English to Middle English was the influx of French words into the language. During the shift from Middle to Modern English, spelling and grammar rules were introduced to standardize usage. Writers who supported this standardization of the language held the opinion that, compared to Latin and French, English was inelegant due to its lack of rules.
These writers set down prescriptive rules of grammar and spelling for others to follow. However, some modern linguists argue that grammars should describe the actual usage of the language rather than force rules upon native speakers of the language. The debate between prescriptive and descriptive grammar continues.
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