Words: Non-standard adj.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.NON-STANDARD is one of the words those frighteningly polite people at Chambers use to describe errors in spelling or usage which they, with a resigned air, now feel are sanctioned by popular consent.
It is, they say, "colloq." to use infer to mean imply. Spelling minuscule as miniscule is "not yet widely accepted". Using protagonist to mean "champion of a cause" is merely "non-standard".
Standard is a weaselly sort of word, covering a broad spectrum of shades ranging from "typical, average, unexceptional" to "accepted as supremely authoritative".
For this reason, the term Standard English, is, according to Chambers, "generally shunned by linguists". Is "Standard English" a non-standard use of the word "standard"?
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments