Linguistic and Cultural Interactions in the Urban Linguistic Landscape

Authors:

Pages: 125-134
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54664/KYTK8566

Abstract:

The article examines the interactions of linguistic and cultural specificities in the Urban linguistic landscape (ULL), based on inscriptions from two locations in the Northeast of Bulgaria – the main streets of Shumen and Dobrich. The aim of the study is to analyze the degree to which particular languages are used with regard to cultural impacts on the ULL. The article aims at answering the following questions: Why is a particular language used? What language combinations can be observed? What is the balance of the languages used? The methods used in the study are: gathering and classification of inscriptions and images, followed by qualitative and quantitative analysis of the data. A marked presence of English has been observed in the ULL. This could be explained with the need for better communication with foreigners/tourists who do not speak Bulgarian but can also be a sign of prestige seeking. Symbolic usage of other foreign languages, related to particular branches has been observed.

Keywords:

Urban linguistic landscape, language combinations, Lingua franca

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