Language Codes :: Papers

Language Codes The construct of elaborated and restricted language codes was introduced by Basil Bernstein in 1971, as a way of accounting for the relatively despicable performance of working-class pupils on language-based subjects, when they were achieving as well as their middle-class counterparts on mathematical topics. Interestingly, it was stimulated directly by his experience of teaching in further education. It is frequently misunderstood, largely because of Bernsteins unfortunate choice of labels. The restricted code does not refer to restricted vocabulary, and the elaborated code does not entail flowery use of language. There is an issue of linguistic impoverishment in the educational problems of some pupils, but Bernstein is not on the whole concerned with such essential cases. One of Bernsteins question studies involved showing a group of children a strip cartoon and recording their account of what it depicted. Some said things like The yre playacting football and he kicks it and it goes through there it breaks the windowpane and theyre looking at it and he comes erupt and shouts at them because theyve broken it so they run away and and so she looks out and she tells them off while others said Three boys are playing football and one boy kicks the ball and it goes through the window the ball breaks the window and the boys are looking at it and a man comes out and shouts at them because theyve broken the window so they run away and then that lady looks out of her window and she tells the boys off. (from Bernstein, 1971 p 203 re-arranged) As Bernstein points out, the first account makes good sense if you have the strip cartoon in front of you, but means much(prenominal) less without it. This is an example of restricted code. The second can stand on its own, and is an example of elaborated code. See Bernsteins own work for detailed accounts of the research behind the construct.