Wykorzystanie metod i wyników badań historycznojęzykowych w ustalaniu współczesnej normy językowe

Abstract

The article seeks to examine the relation between language norm and usage, which are both linked to textual realization. The modern norm is not always reflected in prescriptive publications, which are usually subjective and out of touch with language changes. However, statistical research that registers ac-tual textual usage may help establish it. In order to do so, methods normally used in historical linguistics can be employed. They allow us to calculate the distribution of each variant in a text and state that when one of them reaches 95%, it is given the status of the norm. This would make it possible to eliminate rare variants from prescriptive dictionaries, as they obscure the picture of language changes. The insight into historical linguistics also enables us to see the present-day transformations against the background of lan-guage processes and tendencies that have been going on for centuries and that usually develop towards a clear goal.