Language Codes :: Papers

Language Codes The construct of clear up and restricted language codes was introduced by Basil Bernstein in 1971, as a way of accounting for the relatively poor 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 impact directly by his experience of teaching in further education. It is oft misunderstood, largely beca mapping of Bernsteins unfortunate choice of labels. The restricted code does not link up 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 near pupils, but Bernstein is not on the whole concerned with such intense cases. One of Bernsteins research studies involved showing a group of children a strip animated cartoon and recording their account of what it depicted. Some said things identical Theyre playing football and he kicks it and it goes by means of there it breaks the window and theyre flavor at it and he comes out and shouts at them because theyve broken it so they put to death away and then she looks out and she tells them off while others said triple 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 blend in 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 less without it. This is an use of restricted code. The second can stand on its own, and is an fashion model of elaborated code. See Bernsteins own work for detailed accounts of the research fanny the construct.