The American concern for prescriptive correctness in linguistic behavior, which derives from eighteenth centry British notions, met with considerable and significant challenge by the contrary descriptive notion in the first half of the nineteenth century. The energy of this challenge waned by mid-century and the prescriptive drive for linguistic uniformity and conformity not only revived, but took on new energy from nineteenth century American culture. The persistence of the prescriptive notion in the minds of educated and intelligent Americans throughout the twentieth century poses an interesting cultural problem. The "Third International" controversy and the black English controversy demonstrate the remarkable hold that the correctness doctrine has on our time. These controversies also give some insight into the means by which the status quo of prescriptivism is maintained within an alien general culture--principally by utilizing genteel co-optive devices and by linking the prescriptive linguistic goals with seemingly desirable social and political goals. (Author/RB)