Bernstein's Sociolinguistics: An Empirical Test in Iceland

Abstract

In this study an attempt is made to test Basil Bernstein's sociolinguistic model empirically. The relationships among all the major variables of the model including social class, family interaction, linguistic elaboration, IQ, and school performance are examined. Data from 338 randomly selected 15-year-olds in Reykjavik, Iceland, are analyzed to show that the model receives mixed support. The correlations among social class, family interaction, IQ, and school performance are along the lines hypothesized by Bernstein, whereas linguistic elaboration does not play its predicted role. The empirical results indicate that important revisions of the model are needed. It is suggested that a clear distinction should be made betueen cognitive and pragmatic aspects of the sociolinguistic codes, and between macro and micro elements of social structure. It is also suggested that revisions of the code concept might build on the works of Bourdieu, Collins, and Foucault. Finally, it is pointed out that further reformulation and extension of Bernstein's work may benefit from paying closer attention to its Durkheimian nature. It is now more than 20 years since the publication of Bernstein's (1962a, 1962b) two influential papers on elaborated and restricted linguistic codes. In a series of papers which followed, Bernstein addressed enduring problems of social structure, language, and cognitive and scholastic achievement. Although there has been no fundamental change in the theory since the beginning of the 1960s, Bernstein (1964, 1966, 1971) has continuously expanded and refined it. By 1971, the theory included ideas on the relationship between social class, family interaction, language or speech codes, IQ, scholastic achievement, and the self. Thus, the theory tries to incorporate and combine sociological, psychological, and linguistic elements. Bernstein holds that the direction of the effects is from the social to *I gratefully acknowledge valuable comments provided by Gisli Palsson, Jona Siggeirsdottir, Paul Durrenberger, Runar Vilhjalmsson, Steve Wieting, Wolfgang Edelstein, and two anonymous referees. Address correspondence to the author, Department of Sociology, Odda, University of Iceland, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland. ? 1987 The University of North Carolina Press