A “linguistic landscape” refers to the visibility of languages on public signs, billboards, shop names, road signs, graffiti, banners, menus, and even digital boards. These written texts reflect the cultural, political, and economic realities of a place, making linguistic landscape analysis a powerful tool for understanding social dynamics.
For example, the multilingual signs in Kuala Lumpur, Malay, Chinese, English, and Tamil, illustrate Malaysia’s ethnic diversity. In contrast, monolingual English signage in formerly colonized cities like Nairobi or Karachi reflects the lingering prestige of the colonial language.
Linguistic landscapes also reveal power relations. When minority languages are absent from public signage, it can signal exclusion. Conversely, deliberate inclusion, such as bilingual Welsh-English road signs in Wales, promotes cultural pride and linguistic rights.
Commercial spaces often display hybrid or globalized language, such as “Desi Bites Café,” “TechnoHub,” or Roman Urdu signage in Pakistani markets. These examples illustrate how global influences intersect with local identities.
Ultimately, linguistic landscapes are more than decorative, they are public texts that communicate who belongs, who holds power, and how communities negotiate identity through the languages they display.
