The linguistic norm of nowadays: constant and changing
DOI: 10.23951/1609-624X-2026-3-7-15
The article is devoted to a comprehensive review of changes in modern ideas about the language norm, both in scientific discourse and in public consciousness. The main attention is paid to the dynamics of the norm of the Russian literary language, but some information is provided about the situation with the linguistic norm in a number of other languages, enabling a comparative analysis and the identification of general linguistic traditions. Addressing this issue is relevant nowadays, when profound shifts in public perceptions have caused noticeable changes in the language norm, which has created a sense of the needlessness of regulatory restrictions. The research material includes dictionary data, scientific research on the problem under study, as well as examples from national language corpora. The paper examines in detail the key mechanisms of the formation and evolution of the linguistic norm from the late twentieth to the early twenty-first centuries. The article touches upon the problem of the influence of colloquial speech, jargon, borrowings and Internet communication on the change of linguistic norms. The analysis of the processes in the formation of linguistic norms during this period demonstrates the main functions of literary language normalization: ensuring mutual understanding within large communities, preserving cultural continuity, and maintaining linguistic identity. Based on empirical material, it is demonstrated how the linguistic norm balances stability and adaptability, responding to communication requests while maintaining consistency. The selected language material shows that the use of previously tabooed and forbidden vocabulary in speech is no longer considered a sign of low education and morality. Instead, it is now but viewed as a verbal substitute for physical violence, a means of releasing aggression and negative emotions, while fulfilling a psychotherapeutic function for all participants in communication. However, the expansion of permissible vocabulary does not lead to the destruction of the linguistic norm and the complete abolition of all prohibitions. This only proves that the language norm is formed naturally, and the official bodies tasked with preserving language purity cannot always prevent the internal processes occurring within the language itself. In conclusion, the study emphasized that, despite the trends towards variability and liberalization, normative regulation remains an essential condition for the functioning of language as an instrument of social interaction in the modern world.
Keywords: norm formation, pronouncing norm, stratification, profanity
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Issue: 3, 2026
Series of issue: Issue 3
Rubric: THEORETICAL AND APPLIED LINGUISTICS
Pages: 7 — 15
Downloads: 135