Are We Indeed So Illuded? Recency and Frequency Illusions in Dutch Prescriptivism

In 2005, Arnold Zwicky posited two misapprehensions about language: the Recency Illusion, or false idea that certain language variation is new, and Frequency erroneous belief a particular word phrase occurs often. Since their conception, these concepts have received widespread attention in popular scientific linguistics, but quantitative research investigating application scarce. The purpose of this paper to provide an empirical investigation Zwicky’s proposed illusions. It does so by collecting statements recency (‘this new’) frequency construction often’) from database Dutch prescriptive publications (1900–2018). I assessed accuracy comparing them linguistic sources, including dictionaries, usage corpora other data. Our showed were rare, statements, especially using high terms such as vaak (‘often’), commonplace. Compared usage, most for both lexis grammar indeed constituted Zwickian This seems partly due genuine unsupported beliefs authors, also genre conventions rhetorical choices. explorative highlights complex usage–prescriptivism interface, argues more into aspect perceptions.