SCRIPTS ON LINGUISTIC LANDSCAPES: A MARKER OF HYBRID IDENTITY IN URBAN AREAS OF PAKISTAN
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol6iss2pp58-96Abstract
Background and Purpose: Scripts have strong relationship with religion, culture, and identity. This research was conducted to analyze how choice of different language scripts indicates identity crisis by observing placement, size, and preference of one code over the other. Furthermore, it also demonstrates the existence of plurilingual practices on linguistic landscapes.
Methodology: The relationship of scripts with culture and religion was analyzed by following the theoretical framework of semiotics given by Scollon and Scollon (2003) and Huebner (2006). Data was collected through photographs of linguistic landscapes and passersby interviews. Altogether, a corpus of 1064 photographs was collected from three cities in Pakistan (i.e Rawalpindi, Islamabad & Wah Cantt) and 10 passersby were interviewed.
Findings: Data analysis reveals some distinctive linguistic modifications in shop signs and billboards; including deviation in spellings, transliteration, linguistic hybridity, vocabulary, visual representation of language, lack of knowledge of Urdu vocabulary, acceptance of English vocabulary as part of Urdu language and use of sub-standard English vocabulary.
Contribution: The research concludes that erroneous use of language and transliteration practices cause hybrid hybridity. Moreover, considering Urdu alternatives as an oddity, along with inability to retrieve Urdu vocabulary are major challenges for policy makers to promote and implement Urdu language policies.
Keywords: Linguistic landscape, plurilingualism, script and identity, transliteration, translanguaging, linguistic hybridity.
References
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Al-Azami, S., Kenner, C., Ruby, M., & Gregory, E. (2010). Transliteration as a bridge to learning for bilingual children. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 13(6), 683-700.
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Backhaus, P. (2006). Multilingualism in Tokyo: A look into the linguistic landscape. International Journal of Multilingualism, 3(1), 52-66.
Backhaus, P. (2007). Linguistic landscapes: A comparative study of urban multilingualism in Tokyo. Multilingual Matters.
Ben-Rafael, E., Shohamy, E., Hasan Amara, M., & Trumper-Hecht, N. (2008). Linguistic landscape as symbolic construction of the public space: The case of Israel. International Journal of Multilingualism, 3(1), 7-30.
Canagarajah, S., & Ashraf, H. (2013). Multilingualism and education in South Asia: Resolving policy/practice dilemmas. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 33(1), 258-285.
Canagarajah, S. (2011). Codemeshing in academic writing: Identifying teachable strategies of translanguaging. The Modern Language Journal, 95(3), 401-417.
Canagarajah, S. (1995). The political economy of code choice in a “revolutionary society”: Tamil-English bilingualism in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. Language in Society, 24(2), 187-212.
Cenoz, J., & Gorter, D. (2006). Linguistic landscape and minority languages. International Journal of Multilingualism, 3(1), 67-80.
Coluzzi, P. (2020). Jawi, an endangered orthography in the Malaysian linguistic landscape. International Journal of Multilingualism, 1(1), 1-17.
Council of Europe. (2001). Common European framework of reference for languages: Learning teaching and assessment. Language Policy Unit.
Dailey, R. M., Giles, H., & Jansma, L. L. (2005). Language attitudes in an Anglo-Hispanic context: The role of the linguistic landscape. Language & Communication, 25(1), 27-38.
Dale, I. R. (1980). Digraphia. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 1980(26), 5-14.
Dei, D. (2005). Language, culture, identity. In A. K. Isaacs (Ed.), Languages and identities in historical perspective (pp. 1-12). Edizioni Plus-Pisa University Press.
Edelman, L. (2010). Linguistic landscapes in the Netherlands: A study of multilingualism in Amsterdam and Friesland. Netherlands Graduate School of Linguistics.
Ehsan, A., & Aziz, S. A. (2014). Code-mixing in Urdu news of a private Pakistani channel. Academic Research International, 5(1), 160-169.
García, O., & Li, W. (2014). Translanguaging: Language, education, and bilingualism. Palgrave Macmillan.
Grivelet, S. (2001). Digraphia in Mongolia. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 2001(150), 75-93.
Hatcher, L. (2008). Script change in Azerbaijan: Acts of identity. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 2008(192), 105-116.
Huebner, T. (2006). Bangkok's linguistic landscapes: Environmental print, codemixing and language change. International Journal of Multilingualism, 3(1), 31-51.
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Karolak, M. (2020). Linguistic landscape in a city of migrants: A study of Souk Naif area in Dubai. International Journal of Multilingualism, 1(1), 1-25.
King, R. D. (2001). The poisonous potency of script: Hindi and Urdu. International Journal of The Sociology of Language, 2001(150), 43-60.
Lado, B. (2011). Linguistic landscape as a reflection of the linguistic and ideological conflict in the Valencian Community. International Journal of Multilingualism, 8(2), 135-150.
Landry, R., & Bourhis, R. Y. (1997). Linguistic landscape and ethnolinguistic vitality: An empirical study. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 16(1), 23-49.
Manan, S. A., David, M. K., Dumanig, F. P., & Channa, L. A. (2017). The glocalization of English in the Pakistan linguistic landscape. World Englishes, 36(4), 645-665.
Mushtaq, H., & Zahra, T. (2012). An analysis of code-mixing in Pakistani commercials. Language in India, 12(1), 428-439.
Pennycook, A. (2017). Translanguaging and semiotic assemblages. International Journal of Multilingualism, 14(3), 269-282.
Quinn, S. D. (2020). Language policy, prestige, and stigma: A case study of Moroccan Amazigh language varieties. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Georgetown University.
Rahman, T. (2008). Language policy, multilingualism and language vitality in Pakistan. In A. Saxena & L. Borin (Eds.), Lesser-known languages of South Asia (pp. 73-106). De Gruyter Mouton.
Rosowsky, A. (2010). ‘Writing it in English’: Script choices among young multilingual Muslims in the UK. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 31(2), 163-179.
Scollon, R., & Scollon, S. W. (2003). Discourses in place: Language in the material world. Routledge.
Sebba, M. (2009). Sociolinguistic approaches to writing systems research. Writing Systems Research, 1(1), 35-49.
Seidlhofer, B. (2005). English as a lingua franca. ELT Journal, 59(4), 339–341.
Shahzad, W., & Abbas, A. (2014). Linguistic variation from the perspective of bilingualism and lexical choice as social marker in Pakistan: A genre analysis. (Unpublished manuscript). Department of Humanities, Air University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Shohamy, E. (2006). Language policy: Language in the material world. Routledge.
Spolsky, B., & Cooper, R. (1991). The languages of Jerusalem. Clarendon Press.
Taylor-Leech, K. J. (2012). Language choice as an index of identity: Linguistic landscape in Dili, Timor-Leste. International Journal of Multilingualism, 9(1), 15-34.
Troyer, R. A. (2012). English in the Thai linguistic Netscape. World Englishes, 31(1), 93-112.
Unseth, P. (2005). Sociolinguistic parallels between choosing scripts and languages. Written Language & Literacy, 8(1), 19-42.
Unseth, P. (2008). The sociolinguistics of script choice: An introduction. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 2008(192), 1-4.
Xie, S. (2020). The competition between Romanised scripts in public space: A linguistic landscape study of shop signs in Zhanjiang. Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, 3(7), 133-142.
Al-Azami, S., Kenner, C., Ruby, M., & Gregory, E. (2010). Transliteration as a bridge to learning for bilingual children. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 13(6), 683-700.
Alomoush, O. I. (2019). English in the linguistic landscape of a northern Jordanian city. English Today, 35(3), 35-41.
Alomoush, O. I., & Al-Naimat, G. K. (2020). English in the linguistic landscape of Jordanian shopping malls: Sociolinguistic variation and translanguaging. The Asian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 7(1), 101-115.
Ahmad, R. (2011). Urdu in Devanagari: Shifting orthographic practices and Muslim identity in Delhi. Language in Society, 40(3), 259-284.
Backhaus, P. (2006). Multilingualism in Tokyo: A look into the linguistic landscape. International Journal of Multilingualism, 3(1), 52-66.
Backhaus, P. (2007). Linguistic landscapes: A comparative study of urban multilingualism in Tokyo. Multilingual Matters.
Ben-Rafael, E., Shohamy, E., Hasan Amara, M., & Trumper-Hecht, N. (2008). Linguistic landscape as symbolic construction of the public space: The case of Israel. International Journal of Multilingualism, 3(1), 7-30.
Canagarajah, S., & Ashraf, H. (2013). Multilingualism and education in South Asia: Resolving policy/practice dilemmas. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 33(1), 258-285.
Canagarajah, S. (2011). Codemeshing in academic writing: Identifying teachable strategies of translanguaging. The Modern Language Journal, 95(3), 401-417.
Canagarajah, S. (1995). The political economy of code choice in a “revolutionary society”: Tamil-English bilingualism in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. Language in Society, 24(2), 187-212.
Cenoz, J., & Gorter, D. (2006). Linguistic landscape and minority languages. International Journal of Multilingualism, 3(1), 67-80.
Coluzzi, P. (2020). Jawi, an endangered orthography in the Malaysian linguistic landscape. International Journal of Multilingualism, 1(1), 1-17.
Council of Europe. (2001). Common European framework of reference for languages: Learning teaching and assessment. Language Policy Unit.
Dailey, R. M., Giles, H., & Jansma, L. L. (2005). Language attitudes in an Anglo-Hispanic context: The role of the linguistic landscape. Language & Communication, 25(1), 27-38.
Dale, I. R. (1980). Digraphia. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 1980(26), 5-14.
Dei, D. (2005). Language, culture, identity. In A. K. Isaacs (Ed.), Languages and identities in historical perspective (pp. 1-12). Edizioni Plus-Pisa University Press.
Edelman, L. (2010). Linguistic landscapes in the Netherlands: A study of multilingualism in Amsterdam and Friesland. Netherlands Graduate School of Linguistics.
Ehsan, A., & Aziz, S. A. (2014). Code-mixing in Urdu news of a private Pakistani channel. Academic Research International, 5(1), 160-169.
García, O., & Li, W. (2014). Translanguaging: Language, education, and bilingualism. Palgrave Macmillan.
Grivelet, S. (2001). Digraphia in Mongolia. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 2001(150), 75-93.
Hatcher, L. (2008). Script change in Azerbaijan: Acts of identity. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 2008(192), 105-116.
Huebner, T. (2006). Bangkok's linguistic landscapes: Environmental print, codemixing and language change. International Journal of Multilingualism, 3(1), 31-51.
Itagi, N. H., & Singh, S. K. (2002). Linguistic landscaping in India: With particular reference to the new states: Proceedings of a seminar. (No. 495). Central Institute of Indian Languages and Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University.
Kallen, J. L. (2010). Changing landscapes: Language, space and policy in the Dublin linguistic landscape. Semiotic Landscapes: Language, Image, Space, 2010(1), 41-58.
Karolak, M. (2020). Linguistic landscape in a city of migrants: A study of Souk Naif area in Dubai. International Journal of Multilingualism, 1(1), 1-25.
King, R. D. (2001). The poisonous potency of script: Hindi and Urdu. International Journal of The Sociology of Language, 2001(150), 43-60.
Lado, B. (2011). Linguistic landscape as a reflection of the linguistic and ideological conflict in the Valencian Community. International Journal of Multilingualism, 8(2), 135-150.
Landry, R., & Bourhis, R. Y. (1997). Linguistic landscape and ethnolinguistic vitality: An empirical study. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 16(1), 23-49.
Manan, S. A., David, M. K., Dumanig, F. P., & Channa, L. A. (2017). The glocalization of English in the Pakistan linguistic landscape. World Englishes, 36(4), 645-665.
Mushtaq, H., & Zahra, T. (2012). An analysis of code-mixing in Pakistani commercials. Language in India, 12(1), 428-439.
Pennycook, A. (2017). Translanguaging and semiotic assemblages. International Journal of Multilingualism, 14(3), 269-282.
Quinn, S. D. (2020). Language policy, prestige, and stigma: A case study of Moroccan Amazigh language varieties. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Georgetown University.
Rahman, T. (2008). Language policy, multilingualism and language vitality in Pakistan. In A. Saxena & L. Borin (Eds.), Lesser-known languages of South Asia (pp. 73-106). De Gruyter Mouton.
Rosowsky, A. (2010). ‘Writing it in English’: Script choices among young multilingual Muslims in the UK. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 31(2), 163-179.
Scollon, R., & Scollon, S. W. (2003). Discourses in place: Language in the material world. Routledge.
Sebba, M. (2009). Sociolinguistic approaches to writing systems research. Writing Systems Research, 1(1), 35-49.
Seidlhofer, B. (2005). English as a lingua franca. ELT Journal, 59(4), 339–341.
Shahzad, W., & Abbas, A. (2014). Linguistic variation from the perspective of bilingualism and lexical choice as social marker in Pakistan: A genre analysis. (Unpublished manuscript). Department of Humanities, Air University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Shohamy, E. (2006). Language policy: Language in the material world. Routledge.
Spolsky, B., & Cooper, R. (1991). The languages of Jerusalem. Clarendon Press.
Taylor-Leech, K. J. (2012). Language choice as an index of identity: Linguistic landscape in Dili, Timor-Leste. International Journal of Multilingualism, 9(1), 15-34.
Troyer, R. A. (2012). English in the Thai linguistic Netscape. World Englishes, 31(1), 93-112.
Unseth, P. (2005). Sociolinguistic parallels between choosing scripts and languages. Written Language & Literacy, 8(1), 19-42.
Unseth, P. (2008). The sociolinguistics of script choice: An introduction. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 2008(192), 1-4.
Xie, S. (2020). The competition between Romanised scripts in public space: A linguistic landscape study of shop signs in Zhanjiang. Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, 3(7), 133-142.
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2021-06-30
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SCRIPTS ON LINGUISTIC LANDSCAPES: A MARKER OF HYBRID IDENTITY IN URBAN AREAS OF PAKISTAN. (2021). Journal of Nusantara Studies (JONUS), 6(2), 58-96. https://doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol6iss2pp58-96
