A descriptive dictionary is one which

A descriptive dictionary is one which

• A. Adheres to tradition and historical authority for word definitions and approved usage
• B. Provides modern slang and neologisms
• C. Focuses on etymologies without definitions
• D. Emphasizes the author's opinions

Answer: (A)

Descriptive lexicography describes language as it is used in real life, collecting evidence from current speech and writing to show how meanings, spellings, and usages actualy operate. That approach includes modern slang and neologisms as part of what people are saying today, illustrating how words are used across different contexts without judging or enforcing rules. In contrast, a dictionary built on tradition and historical authority focuses on prescribing “correct” usage and standards, which is not the same as describing how language evolves. A focus on etymologies without definitions would leave readers without the practical sense of what a word means now, and emphasizing the author’s opinions would undermine an objective record of usage. So, describing contemporary language, including slang and new words, best captures what a descriptive dictionary does.

Descriptive lexicography describes language as it is used in real life, collecting evidence from current speech and writing to show how meanings, spellings, and usages actualy operate. That approach includes modern slang and neologisms as part of what people are saying today, illustrating how words are used across different contexts without judging or enforcing rules. In contrast, a dictionary built on tradition and historical authority focuses on prescribing “correct” usage and standards, which is not the same as describing how language evolves. A focus on etymologies without definitions would leave readers without the practical sense of what a word means now, and emphasizing the author’s opinions would undermine an objective record of usage. So, describing contemporary language, including slang and new words, best captures what a descriptive dictionary does.