Standard

Chapter 4 details the process of language standardization, where a specific dialect is selected and codified as the ‘correct’ form of the language. For English, this began during the Early Modern period, driven by practical needs like printing (e.g., Caxton's press) and administration (e.g., the Chancery Standard), rather than state policy. It established fixed rules for spelling, grammar and punctuation, creating a benchmark for ‘proper’ English. This process, alongside codification in dictionaries and grammars, elevated the prestige of English and enabled its use in literature, science and governance. It also entrenched prescriptive ideologies, marginalizing non-standard varieties and creating debates about correctness that persist today.