prescriptive utterance
[/prɪˈskrɪptɪv ˈʌtərəns/]
nounpl: prescriptive utterances
enunciado prescritivo
1. A statement or expression that prescribes what should be done or how something ought to be, rather than describing what is; a directive or normative statement that establishes rules, standards, or obligations
The instruction 'You must submit your report by Friday' is a prescriptive utterance that establishes a requirement.
A instrução 'Você deve enviar seu relatório até sexta-feira' é um enunciado prescritivo que estabelece uma exigência.
2. In linguistics and philosophy, a linguistic act that aims to regulate behavior or establish norms rather than convey information about reality
Moral rules expressed as 'One should not lie' function as prescriptive utterances in ethical discourse.
Regras morais expressas como 'Não se deve mentir' funcionam como enunciados prescritivos no discurso ético.
This term is primarily used in academic contexts, particularly in linguistics, philosophy, and cognitive science. In Brazilian education, the concept relates to discussions about prescriptive versus descriptive grammar teaching. The distinction between prescriptive and descriptive language use reflects broader debates about language correctness and linguistic authority in both Brazilian and American linguistic traditions.
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →