Vintage Shopping: The New Fast Fashion for Gen Z
Vintage Shopping: The New Fast Fashion
for Gen Z
Analyzing the use of Commercial Multilingualism in Lleida
By Xènia Vallmanya, Víctor Raventos and
Marc Gombau
INTRODUCTION:
This sociolinguistics landscape project has the intent
to notice the Englishization (making use of English as lingua franca and
converting materials in local language to English) in the city of Lleida. As
students, we ventured out onto the Lleida streets to investigate the
development of the English language and its integration into Catalan culture.
The project is based on the fundamental idea that learning about the languages
spoken in the city can shed light on the ways in which language and society are
intertwined and influence community behavior. Because they are part of our
environment, words and images on walls can be a reflection of, and in turn
influence, our behavior.
Our LL is an informational sign, used by many
businesses to highlight their commerce as well as having a bigger reach among
all inhabitants. El Golfo Vintage is not only a clothing shop but also a place
where young people go with their friends to have a great time due to the music
playing and the bar service they offer.
The writing that appears in the sign is found in two different languages; English (Vintage) and Spanish (El Golfo), using them to try and catch the eye of both local and foreign customers. Both languages appearing in the sign come from the Roman alphabet and have shared characteristics, that is why they include English loan words already adapted into the Spanish sociolinguistics dynamics whichcan be understood by connotation, so non-users of English or Spanish can understand it. This is called "advertising English", which is a form of commercial multilingualism strictly aimed at selling and branding(Eldeman&Gorter, 2010).However, the main heading, standing out in much bigger letters and a clearer typeface, is written in Spanish (see figure 1). In this project we will analyze the values of our token (origins, social meaning…) as well as what it tells us about Lleida’s society.
Figure 1: Close-up of our LL token. Source: Marc Gombau, 2024
CONTEXTUALIZATION:
The chosen token is a billboard from a clothes shop at
Passeig de Ronda, 106 (25006). El Golfo Vintage is located in the neighborhood
of Camp d’Esports (see figure 2), named after the name of the football team of
the city, Lleida Esportiu. In the same neighborhood we can find different
clothing shops as well as several bars and restaurants (see figure 3).
Figure 2: Map of the neighborhoods in Lleida. Source: Sabaté-Dalmau (2023) |
According to an academic paper made by the UdL (Zoom, 2021), 22,47% of the population of this neighborhood is of migrant origin. Despite the general advances, according to that same paper, the spatial distribution of the educational differences of the population “over time is more and more uneven”.
Figure 3: View of the surroundings of our token. Source: Google Maps.
Vintage clothing became really popular worldwide in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s due to the rise of thrift shopping and due to celebrities who were seen wearing vintage items. Both factors made teenagers of those years buy vintage pieces in order to resemble their favorite actors or singers in the way they were dressing. Surprisingly, vintage clothing made a resurgence in the past couple years (Cassidy & Bennett, 2012), to the point where youngsters prefer to go vintage shopping rather than going to the well-known fast fashion brands. Top-down language policies in Catalonia have historically been shaped by directives from Madrid's central government, which emphasize Spanish's superiority over other languages and frequently marginalize regional languages like Catalan. The Catalan government, however, has made an effort to buck this tendency in recent decades by enacting language regulations that give priority to the promotion and preservation of Catalan. According to the Generalitat de Catalunya (Gencat, 2019), these policies cover concepts like Catalan language use in government and public institutions, official language status for the language, and language immersion programs in schools. Municipal language laws in Lleida, on the other hand, are more regional in nature and take into account the linguistic characteristics unique to the city and its surrounding areas. In addition to encouraging the use of Catalan as the predominant language of communication in local government and public areas, Lleida's municipal language policies also seek to promote linguistic diversity. In this sense, Lleida's policies honor and preserve Catalan while simultaneously being welcoming to those who have immigrated to the city speaking other languages (La Paeria, 2014). According to the data provided by our teacher in her explanation paper, 44% of the population in Centre Historic—about the area where our token is localized—is foreign-born, meaning that roughly half of the population does not speak Catalan as their first language.
METHODOLOGY:
The
qualitative data-gathering procedure that was carried out by our group
consisted of the following data sets: an ethnographic observation, through
which we visited the linguistic token two times in the same day. The first
fieldwork visit was done in the morning of March 14th (a Thursday) by a single
member of the group, Marc, while he was looking for a linguistic landscape to
work on in Gran Passeig de Ronda. Later that day, Victor and Xènia, the other
two research participants, made a second visit. They looked around and noticed
that most people were speaking Catalan and a few were speaking Spanish. Due to
the abundance of bars and other places of social gathering in the vicinity of
this commerce, we were able to recognize linguistic repertoires much more
swiftly. We also recognized that there was more information in English during
this field trip, as shown in figure 1's information on the glass that reads
"Vintage clothing & sneakers," thus we determined that this
business was the ideal place to conduct our research on linguistic variations
in Lleida.
After we began the
study, we found down the exact address of the business, Gran Passeig de Ronda
106°, using the photo Marc took on the first field trip to opt for a location
for our investigation. The official language of the community where this
company is located, Catalan, is absent from the "El Golfo Vintage"
marketing banner. Only Spanish, which is also Lleida's official language, and
English are visible. Additionally, as was already noted, fundamental information
such as what is sold in commerce is also in English. The employees of this
store greet you in both Spanish and Catalan when you walk in. The staff members
adjust to whichever language you are most comfortable speaking.
For language trade regulations
in Catalunya to be implemented and effective, both top-down and bottom-up
techniques are necessary. The structure for language requirements in business
operations is established at the highest level by laws and regulations. Usually
created by local governments, these laws support Catalan's status as an
official language and encourage its use. Legal mandates, incentives, and
enforcement mechanisms are examples of top-down measures that aim to guarantee
business compliance. On the other hand, bottom-up initiatives are driven by
customer preferences, community organizations, and grassroots movements that
promote the use of Catalan in business. In Catalunya's commercial landscape,
linguistic commerce laws are not only enforced but also supported and embraced
by the community thanks to the synergy between top-down regulations and
bottom-up initiatives. This creates a robust environment for the preservation
of Catalan language and cultural expression.
As you can see, our token lacks Catalan because we decided to assume that "El" is in Spanish when it could possibly be in Catalan. However, since "Golfo" is in Spanish, we assumed that it was Spanish overall. So our token does not follow those policies to implement Catalan language, although they still talk to you in Catalan when entering the store. Although Spanish is also widely spoken and acknowledged as an official language, Catalan is the main language of communication in Lleida. Furthermore, a large number of Aranese speakers reside in Lleida because of its close proximity to the Aran Valley, especially in the neighborhoods that border the valley. Because Lleida is a multicultural city, the immigrant communities that speak languages from all over the world and may eventually convert to Catalan or Spanish further enrich the city's linguistic landscape. All things considered, the language policies of Lleida and Catalonia show the intricate relationship between bottom-up action, top-down directives, and the region's varied linguistic realities.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:
As part of our research
for this language diversity project, we learned about policies aimed at
increasing the use of Catalan in a Catalan commerce. However, we can also say
that, in addition to the languages already examined, our token incorporates
some French, since the word "vintage," which appears in the name of
our business, has roots in Latin and Old French, which over time perfectly
merged into the modern English language. Given that it is a language borrowing
from French, it is recognized as authentic English as it has been accepted in
the English vocabulary. And because it enables people to regularly use and
learn multiple languages, this phenomenon is known as multilingualism.
Figure 4: Definition of the word "vintage". Source: Google
Since this was the project's primary area of investigation, we also observed the effects of Englishization on commerce and society as a whole. Our token is a prime example of Englishization as a result of globalization: why use English when it's clear that the majority of those who will purchase from that business will not speak English at all? This is all part of a marketing strategy; people, primarily young people, will be drawn to the name "El Golfo Vintage" rather than "El Golfo Antiguo," and even that translation will be inaccurate because "vintage" is also used in Spanish but is not recognized by the RAE dictionary; therefore, there isn't a literal translation that will mean precisely what "vintage" means. Hence, it is a means of improving the appearance of one's own business and drawing in more customers. Englishization is also used as a means of becoming more international as it will reach a wider audience. The strategy is to make the shop's name more appealing to potential customers and more international, even though there isn't much tourism in Lleida. The word "vintage" has a higher probability of being understood by a foreigner than by a Catalan or Spanish person. Additionally, by doing the opposite for people who are unfamiliar with the term "vintage," maybe due to a lack of English language skills or simply ignorance, it may pique their curiosity as to what the word might signify.
Concluding a project on linguistic landscapes involves summarizing key findings, discussing implications, and suggesting potential avenues for future research or action. Through this research, a deeper understanding of the relationship between language, culture, and commerce has been gained, particularly within the context of Catalonia’s linguistic landscape. The study has shed a light into the significance of linguistic commerce laws in Catalunya, Spain, hinting at their role in preserving cultural identity and linguistic diversity. By examining the top-down regulations established by regional authorities alongside the bottom-up initiatives driven by grassroots movements and community engagement, a comprehensive picture of the dynamics shaping the linguistic landscape has emerged. The findings highlight the interplay between government policies, business practices, and societal preferences in shaping language use in commercial settings. Moving forward, future research could delve deeper into the effectiveness of linguistic commerce laws in promoting linguistic sustainability and fostering inclusive economic environments. Additionally, exploring the experiences and perspectives of different stakeholders, including businesses, consumers, and language advocates, could provide valuable insights into the practical implications of these policies.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS:
We think that teaching students sociolinguistics is an excellent new pedagogical idea. This implies that in addition to mastering all the complex ideas taught in class, one must also put them into practice in order to confirm that what has been learned is actually taking place at the moment. It also encourages students to pursue sociolinguistics as a field of study because they find it to be a fascinating subject. Projects are also a more enjoyable way to put our learning into practice and have a significant impact on students' learning. In other words, through this project, students are given the tools they need to educate their peers and the rest of the world.
Additionally, the social significance, values, and statuses attached to multilingual practices, as well as how the diversity of LLs contributes to raising awareness of the growing importance of English in society, help society understand the new era of globalization. Finally, we have benefited greatly from using TEP (Technologies of Empowerment and Participation) and TKA (Technologies of Knowledge Acquisition). We weren't used to using these technologies, so it was new to us. Although using the map (TKA) was completely new to us, it was simple to use and very helpful in helping us track down all the LLs in Lleida. Regarding the blog (TEP), we hadn't used it before, but we believe that it is a good way to expose projects, even though there are many ways to increase the effectiveness of the website.
REFERENCES:
Alexa, O. A. (2021). Englishization and the Appeal of
Multinational Corporations among Business Students. ideas.repec.org. https://ideas.repec.org/a/ovi/oviste/vxxiy2021i2p38-47.html
Cassidy, T. D., & Bennett, H. R. (2012). The rise
of vintage fashion and the vintage consumer. Fashion practice, 4(2),
239-261. https://doi.org/10.2752/175693812X13403765252424
Edelman, L. and Gorter, D. (2010) Linguistic
landscapes and the market. In: Language and the Market (ed.) by H.
Kelly-Holmes & G. Mautner. London: Palgrave. 96-108.
Generalitat de Catalunya: https://llengua.gencat.cat/ca/direccio_general_politica_linguistica/
La Paeria. (2014). Clàusuleslingüístiques. Retrieved from: https://www.paeria.cat/ca/seu-electronica/guia-contractacio-publica-social/clausulat-social/11-clausules-linguistiques
Sabate-Dalmau, M.
(2023), Handout Unit 2 [Online] Available athttps://cv.udl.cat/access/content/group/101266-2223/Part%20A%20Sociolinguistics/Unit%202/Hand-out_and_Ppt_Unit_2_19_20.pdf
Sabate-Dalmau, M.
(2023), Handout Unit 3 [Online] Available athttps://cv.udl.cat/access/content/group/101266-2223/Part%20A%20Sociolinguistics/Unit%203/Hand-out_and_Ppt_Unit_3_19_20.pdf
Zoom (2021): 5-6 / ISSN 2696-5356 / DOI
10.21001/zoom.interdisciplinari.2021.1: https://repositori.udl.cat/server/api/core/bitstreams/c81cfa1d-7a7e-4560-bd1e-5a78b67373f2/content
Comments
Post a Comment