This article, drawing upon Juraj Dolnik's book on the theory of standard language with regard to standard Slovak (2010), concentrates on the question of the sources of standard variety and the problem of objectivity of scientific knowledge. Reconsidering Dolnik's concept of norm critically, it places emphasis on the fact that linguistic norms, as a part of social norms, are constituted in interactions, which helps to explain their indexicality. It also argues that language users are actors in social processes who hold specific social roles, which corresponds to their dif- fering power (and vice versa). Referring to Language Management Theory, the article concludes with some more general arguments in favor of qualitative methodology in the research on linguistic norms and the standard variety.