In her lecture on Linguistic landscape, Elana Shohamy focuses on language and how they are often used on a public space. By researching on Linguistic Landscape, people can identify patterns of language and how they are used to depict a specific discipline. LL helps in the understanding and interpreting a society in the perspective of trans-language, globalization, exclusion, localization and language justice (Gorter 21). This talk provides for an interpretation of language in the public space in a deeper perspective. The talk describes various Linguistic Landscapes which validates the new perspective that language in the public space can be used as a tool to portray new ideologies and political views. This talk therefore concentrates in the consideration of linguistic realities which can be used to develop new policies which involve all the public without any injustices.
Shohamy starts by explaining the use of the Linguistic Landscape in a public space. She gives an example of how language can be used in the public space. In a road poster advising the public to drive safely, the three languages, Arabic, English and Hebrew are used. This is because the message was meant to reach the entire public which includes all the three languages speakers. She displayed another note telling people to see the pope. This note was written in English and Arabic only. This was because the Jews don’t need to see a pope hence there was no need to display the information in Hebrew. Here she explains the use of a specific language to meet a specific target audience. She also gives examples of other non-verbal Linguistic Landscape and how they are used to reach a target audience. She gives an example of the use of tattoo among the South Africans emphasizing that the tattoo portrays some information. She also gives an example of a billboard in Colombia with a photo of a lady and the word “WOW!” on it; and how this photo can be used to advertise plastic surgery.
Shohamy also emphasizes on the fact that non-verbal Linguistic Landscapes can be used to convey information. Apart from brochures and ads, things like smell, building, people, graffiti can be used to convey specific information. For example, smell alone can be used to define a space. When one enters a market, they can use the smell to identify what products are being sold in that market. She therefore encourages that language can be used as a global view, not just words. Words are nothing; one has to understand the linguistic space. While the use of language in a public space may appear to be random, this is not the case. Language in a public space is always systematic and anchored on theories of policies, economics, geography, politics, and culture, among others.
Shohamy believes that spaces are always empty but by the use of Linguistic Landscape these spaces can be turned into places such as, homes, cities, streets, and lecture hall among others. It is at the discretion of people that decide on how they portray a Linguistic Landscape. People can use Linguistic Landscape as a tool of dominating the space. On the other hand, people can also rise up and participate in process that shapes the ecology. People can change a space and create a language which can be used as domination. Shohamy gives an example of a hospital ward which the directions are only written in Hebrew. This means that a non-Hebrew will have difficulties in locating a place in the hospital. This therefore shows how a language can be used as a tool to revive the vitality of an indigenous language.
In conclusion, I find Shohamy’s lecture quite interesting and educative. It encourages the looking of a Linguistic Landscape into a deeper perspective. She also gives me a new idea that language can always be used as a tool of domination by a certain group of people.
Reference
Gorter, Durk, ed. Linguistic landscape: A new approach to multilingualism. Multilingual Matters, 2006.
