vocabulary - Meaning of "non-normative"?


What's the meaning of "a non-normative document"?


Does "non-normative" mean "casual"?


What's the significant difference between a normative document and a non-normative one?



Answer



I typically see this in reference to standards and technical documents. A normative definition or statement is one that should be taken as authoritative or imperative (i.e., a should or a must), while a non-normative one is one that bears no such restriction.


Synonyms for normative would include prescriptive, so synonyms of non-normative could range from descriptive to declarative to informal or casual, depending on context.


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