ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Speech codes theory

Okay kiddo, do you remember when we were talking about how different people talk differently and use different words? Like, some people say "pop" instead of "soda," or "y'all" instead of "you guys"? Well, there's something called speech codes that people use to communicate with each other.

Speech codes are like a secret language that people in a certain group use to talk to each other. It can be different from what other people use and it might be hard for someone outside that group to understand. For example, people in a soccer team might use words that only they understand.

Now, some people think that speech codes can be a problem. They think that if only certain groups use certain words to communicate, it can create divisions between people. For example, if one group of people only use big, fancy words, it might make other people feel like they're not smart enough or not part of that group.

This idea is called the speech codes theory. It's all about how different speech codes can create social divisions and make people feel excluded. Some people think that we should try to use language that everyone can understand, so that everyone can feel included and part of the same group.