Linguistic purism is a sociolinguistic phenomenon characterized by the advocacy for preserving a language in what its proponents consider its "pure" form, often by discouraging the use of foreign borrowings, neologisms, or any elements deemed corrupt or undesirable.

Linguistic purism can also be deeply intertwined with socio-economic perceptions, including an aversion to being perceived as "poor."

For example there is a stigma against using the word "ain't", it is a real word. People say it. People write it. And it has a meaning that everyone understands. But for whatever reason, it isn’t considered a ‘proper’ word to be used formally.