A history of the English Language

188.
Its Reflection in the Attitude toward the Language.
The intellectual tendencies here noted are seen quite clearly in the eighteenth-century 
efforts to standardize, refine, and fix the English language. In the period under 
consideration discussion of the language takes a new turn. Previously interest had been 
shown chiefly in such questions as whether English was worthy of being used for 
writings in which Latin had long been traditional, whether the large additions being made 
to the vocabulary were justified, and whether a more adequate system of spelling could 
be introduced. Now for the first time attention was turned to the grammar, and it was 
discovered that English had no grammar. At any rate its grammar was largely uncodified, 
unsystematized. The ancient languages had been reduced to rule; one knew what was 
right and what was wrong. But in English everything was uncertain. One learned to speak 
and write as one learned to walk, and in many matters of grammatical usage there was 
much variation even among educated people. This was clearly distasteful to an age that 
desired above all else an orderly universe. The spontaneous creativeness of a 
Shakespeare, verbing it with nouns and adjectives, so to speak, sublimely indifferent to 
rules, untroubled by any considerations in language save those springing from a sure 
instinct, had given place to hesitation and uncertainty, so that a man like Dryden 
confessed that at times he had to translate an idea into Latin in order to decide on the 
correct way to express it in English. 
In its effort to set up a standard of correctness in language the rationalistic spirit of the 
eighteenth century showed itself in the attempt to settle disputed points logically, that is, 
by simply reasoning about them, often arriving at entirely false conclusions. The respect 
for authoritative example, especially for classical example, takes the form of appeals to 
the analogy of Latin, whereas a different manifestation of the respect for authority is at 
the bottom of the belief in the power of individuals to legislate in matters of language and 
accounts for the repeated demand for an English Academy. Finally it is an idea often 
expressed that English has been and is being daily corrupted, that it needs correction and 
refinement, and that when the necessary reforms have been effected it should be fixed 
permanently and protected from change. In other words, it was desired in the eighteenth 
century to give the English language a polished, rational, and permanent form. How 
mistaken were these goals and methods will be shown later. The various features of that 
attempt will constitute the major topics for discussion in the remainder of this chapter.