Reflections on Class and Language

In the fall of 1978 I was consultant to a video project called "The Unemployment Tapes," designed explore through talks with local people human costs, causes, and possible cures unemployment in an old industrial area Connecticut. At time, also reading thinking about class, language, theories Basil Bernstein. began notice taped interviews close correspondence Bernstein's cen­tral distinction between "restricted" "elaborated" codes: almost all peo­ple interviewed on streets spoke restricted code that Bernstein attrib­utes working while managers officials used elaborated what calls "middle class." . The power relations society permeate speech shape it, reproduces or challenges pow­er society. way we talk is not just artifact any more than class ways talk. Speech takes place society, but "in" speech. point well illustrated, believe, by happened those two interviews. A Bernsteinian explanation their con­trasts badly misrepresents social forces at work them, assigning static "class," differences ex­press dynamic changeable relations. Movements toward worker self-management, co-ops, progressive credit unions, consumer movements, union organizing, populist movements many kinds, are fertile soil which codes (put better use mayor, hope) may grow along habit democracy.