SILK & WOOL tintoreries: Analysis of multilingual landscapes for commercial purposes
by Neus Escrivà, Anastasiya Gusak and Arnau Avilés
INTRODUCTION
In
Príncep de Viana - Clot neighbourhood in Lleida, amidst the vibrant tapestry of
linguistic diversity, one particular entity serves as a perfect example to
explore the effects of today’s globalised world on present-day language
practices in the commercial realm – “Silk & Wool tintoreries”. This paper
delves into this commercial establishment that serves as our linguistic
landscape token, examining the interplay of languages displayed, signage, and
cultural representations in the city of Lleida, North eastern Catalonia.
The main foregrounded language used in the signage of “Silk
& Wool tintoreries” is English (also in “Laundress and Shop”), reflecting
its position within the linguistic regime of a globalised commercial context.
However, nestled alongside this dominant language is the presence of Catalan,
serving as a secondary or backgrounded language, found in tintoreries. This bilingual signage encapsulates the linguistic
dynamics of the region, where multilingualism is not only prevalent but also
indicative of the sociocultural fabric of the city and its inhabitants.
Located at Carrer Príncep de Viana 102, “Silk & Wool tintoreries”
operates within the domain of commerce, catering to both local residents and
tourists but with emphasis to the locals, since the list of services is
entirely in Catalan (see Figure 1).
Through mediums such as signs and window displays, the establishment
communicates its local and at the same time modern and cosmopolitan identity to
passersby, shaping the linguistic landscape of the neighbourhood. As presented
in Figure 3, there are several similar
LLs around the token that present the same traits of multilingual displays for
commerce.
Figure 1 Services offered by the commerce. Source: Anastasiya’s phone
The type of signage utilised by “Silk &
Wool tintoreries” is primarily commercial, designed to attract potential
customers and to convey essential information about its products and wash clothes for those who are passersby (Mooney
and Evans, 2015). This commercial signage employs a bottom-up approach to
production, reflecting the grassroots nature of its creation. The sign is
classified as bottom-up because it was created by an individual and not by a
public institution (Mooney and Evans, 2015). The origin of the window display
has its roots in various LLs observed by the owner of this business during his
trip to the USA. Furthermore, the exclusive use of the Roman alphabet
underscores the prevailing script choice in this linguistic context.
CONTEXTUALISATION
Address: Situated at Carrer Príncep de Viana 102 in Lleida, Spain (Figure 2), “Silk & Wool tintoreries” occupies a strategic location within the urban fabric of the city. Lleida, renowned for its historical significance and cultural richness in North-Eastern Catalonia, being the second biggest city after Barcelona, serves as the backdrop for this linguistic landscape analysis. The specific address of Carrer Príncep de Viana 102 situates the establishment within a vibrant commercial district, characterised by a blend of residential and commercial properties, such as “Hotel Nadal”, “Restaurant Lo Caragol”, “Mercadona” and “ZUK Tattoo Piercing Lleida”.
Figure 2 Map of the
neighbourhood. Source: Google Maps
Figure 3 Street view of the surroundings. Source: Neus’s phone
Neighbourhood’s Demographic Profile: The Príncep de Viana - Clot
neighbourhood, home to “Silk & Wool tintoreries”, reflects a vibrant mix of
demographics, underscored by diverse socio-cultural influences. Lleida, as a
whole, embraces a rich tapestry of migration, with migrants comprising 21.49%
of its population (Institut d’Estadística de Catalunya, n.d.), fostering
cultural diversity. Furthermore, the district thrives amidst Lleida’s
globalised commerce landscape, where burgeoning tourism, as reported by the
city hall (La Paeria, 2020), surged beyond 200,000 visitors annually in 2022.
This influx of visitors eagerly explores the city’s historical treasures and
dynamic local offerings, painting a vivid portrait of Lleida’s cosmopolitan
allure.
Neighbourhood’s
Socioeconomic Profile: The socioeconomic profile of the Príncep
de Viana - Clot neighbourhood reflects a complex interplay of socio-economic
dynamics. While the area
sees the emergence of new businesses and commercial enterprises like “Silk
& Wool tintoreries”, it also contends with challenges related to economic
disparities and access to resources. Despite
ongoing urban revitalization efforts, pockets of poverty persist within the
neighbourhood - with El Clot being the third poorest neighbourhood in Lleida
(Idescat, 2020) -, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to address
socio-economic inequalities of the city. The migration in the neighbourhood
highlights the economic inequalities of the region, as Príncep de Viana and
Clot encompasses 30,94% of the migratory population (presented in Figure 4).
Figure 4 Table of
migration in Lleida by neighbourhoods. Source: Sabaté, M. https://Sociolinguistics/ProjectLocalisingEnglishinLleida.pdf
Figure 5 Map of the neighbourhoods of Lleida. Source: Sabaté, M. https://Sociolinguistics/ProjectLocalisingEnglishinLleida.pdf
METHODOLOGY
For the project we followed a methodology based on
ethnographic observations of a Linguistic Landscape token, selected after
guided fieldwork visits in the area. The project followed a qualitative
analysis using fieldnotes and visual materials as instruments. The first stage
was based on the collection of the data and a triage among different
possibilities of tokens. We decided to work on a token discovered by one of our
group members. She found the token near her home and could do many observations
of surroundings, including the spoken languages around the token and also users
of the service. The group members executed various observations of the token
carrying out three group fieldwork visits. The first one was conducted on 29th
February of 2024 at 3:32 pm, when the group members took the pictures and
collected basic information. The second visit took place on 7th
March of 2024 at 5:47 pm and consisted of the analysis of the surroundings of
the token. Finally, the last visit was fulfilled on 19th March of 2024
at 9:12 pm by one of the members of the groups with the purpose to verify the
data and assure that there were no changes produced in the token.
With consideration of top-down language policies according to
the Article 32 of Law 1/1998, of 7th January “Llei de
política lingüística: La senyalització i els cartells d’informació general de
caràcter fix i els documents d’oferta de serveis per a les persones usuàries i
consumidores dels establiments oberts al públic han d’ésser redactats, almenys,
en català [...]”, of language policies by Generalitat de Catalunya, in section
3 it is mentioned that “The signage and posters of general information of a
fixed nature and the documents offering services for users and consumers of
establishments open to the public must be written, at least, in Catalan”
(Translated from Catalan). The policies in Lleida defined by the Article 14 “La retolació publica de tota mena s’ha de redactar normalment en català”, from the
regulations proposed by Paeria in 1997, state that the signs of any kind should
be written in Catalan as a main language (Sabaté, 2024). In relation to these
two law regulations, our LL token does not follow the top-down language
policies established by the government of Lleida and Generalitat, as its main
language is English, and Catalan is present only as a secondary language. Our
token is a bottom-up sign that presents a text which can be understood not only
by denotative meanings, but also by connotative information (English indexing
modernity and economy advancements) and it does not therefore require the
repetition of information in Catalan.
As for the surroundings of the linguistic token, there are
many other multilingual signs located nearby as presented in Figure 3 and Figure 6. As mentioned in the previous sections, our token is
located in the neighbourhood of Príncep de Viana, which is one of the
commercial streets in Lleida. There are various commercial signs that present
multilingualism as a phenomenon and are a combination of languages such as
Catalan, Spanish and English. In Figure 6
we present a street view of the token surrounded by other multilingual
signs as “EURO REPAR car service. Taller”, “QUEROL perruqueries” and “FINQUES
GERARD immobiliària”, among others. All of these signs combine and represent
multilingual and multimodal window displays and signs created with commercial
purposes. That relates to the commercial traits of the neighbourhood and also
to the migration.
Figure 6 LLs surrounding the token. Source: Arnau's phone
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
According to the categorization of the Landscape Observatory
of Catalonia (2024), linguistic landscapes can have six values: aesthetic,
historical, identity, productive, social, and spiritual. In this case, “Silk
& Wool Tintoreries” is attributed an aesthetic, identity and productive
value.
Figure 7 Linguistic
Landscape: picture of the token. Source: Anastasiya's phone
First of all, this linguistic landscape has a productive
value. Its main objective is to ensure financial benefits by guaranteeing a
laundry and dry-cleaning service to customers. Therefore, generating optimal
financial results, as well as providing a quality service, is the target of the
trade, and for this reason, it is considered a productive landscape.
Moreover, regarding the productive value of the token, the
English language is used as an index of modernity and monetary profitability in
commerce. The relevance of English as a lingua franca in the global economy can
be observed through this multilingual LL token, as it shows a dominance of
English over local languages (Cenoz & Gorter, 2009). According to Barbeira
(2016), English is used in businesses due to its power and prestige in
association with money and may be considered as an advantageous language for
commerce.
On the other hand, this linguistic landscape can also be
considered aesthetic because of its composition; placing each element
strategically creates a sense of harmony, attracting as many customers as
possible. Because it is a commerce, the LL must be attractive to customers to
increase its profits. For that it follows some aesthetic strategies for
grabbing the attention of the consumers. Besides the text displayed in
different languages, the LL depicts different types of signs and images which
make it multimodal. The multimodality of the sign contributes to its better
interpretation by non-English speakers and allows them to understand what
services are offered by this commerce. Furthermore, the window display is
composed of contrasting colours, such as yellow, black, and white, so that the
main message in yellow stands out even more (see Figure 7). The
reasoning behind using yellow as a main colour is related to its
attention-grabbing qualities and because it is considered as an energetic
colour with advertising properties (Cherry, 2023). In addition, the language used in the window
display is concise, making it easy for the recipient to understand and read.
Not only this but also the drawings of an iron and hangers in yellow also
contribute to the comprehension and attractiveness of the message, being the
most representative symbols of the dry-cleaning trade.
This linguistic landscape is just one example of
globalisation and the dominance of English in our community as a sign of
power. Although the official language of
the city in which the LL is located is Catalan along with, compulsorily, the
language of the state, Spanish, the influence of English with its association
being a cosmopolitan language can be witnessed, which gives rise to the
importance of English in a multicultural world. As far as the globalisation of
the foreign language is concerned, it may just be a marketing strategy on the
part of the company to expand commerce as a global market. In addition, this
also helps potential tourists or foreigners in the city to understand the
message, thereby reaching a wider audience.
With all this in mind, it is essential to emphasise the
presence of Catalan in the LL serving as a reference for the multilingual
environment in which it is found. Lleida is a multilingual city where different
languages coexist in contact and where the official language is Catalan. This
is also an irrefutable fact of the value attributed to identity; Catalan could
have been omitted (being a minority language) but it has been preserved even if
there is a public that does not understand it, causing the displacement of a
minoritized language.
Finally, it is worth noting the presence of English living in
an already multicultural and multilingual environment, where languages are in
constant contact with each other. The presence of English in this environment
enhances Englishisation by its great influence on commerce, landscapes, etc. as
well as on the inhabitants of the city itself.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
By carrying out this project, we raised awareness about
multilingual surroundings and the use of English for commercial purposes in our
everyday routines. The observation of the LLs helped us to apply theoretical
concepts of sociolinguistics to practical uses, making us act as knowledge
generators within the discipline of sociolinguistics.
Departing from traditional sociolinguistics fieldwork using a
notebook and recording equipment, we conducted this study using modern
technologies and strategies as photography, mapping, and blog entries
(Blommaert, 2013). All these new strategies allow a deeper understanding of
linguistic landscapes as a pedagogical tool to understand the role of language
in our everyday life.
Throughout this project we gained a better understanding of
the concepts of Technologies of Knowledge Acquisition (TKA) and Empowerment and
Participation (TEP). These technologies have been applied as pedagogical tools
in dynamic practical applications of LLs fieldwork study. The TKA was applied
to a geolocating Google map of the city and TEP to a transfer-of knowledge blog
site (Prego and Zas, 2018).
In general traits, we found the project very
interesting and didactic. Not only were we guided by the completion of the
task, but also by the contrasting of opinions and growth of personal knowledge.
This group functioned very well in terms of organisation, communication and
adjustment to the deadlines.
REFERENCES & WEBSOURCES
Barbeira, S. (2016, January 15). Los 13
billones de euros que explican por qué el inglés manda sobre el español.
Mundiario. https://www.mundiario.com/articulo/economia/13-billones-euros-explican-ingles-manda-espanol/20160110202426052082.html
Blommaert, J. (2013). Ethnography,
Superdiversity and Linguistic Landscapes: Chronicles of Complexity.
Bristol, Blue Ridge Summit: Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781783090419
Cenoz, J., & Gorter, D. (2009). Language Economy and
Linguistic Landscape, in E.Shohamy & D.Gorter (Eds.) Linguistic Landscape: Expanding the scenery, (pp. 55-69). New
York/London: Routledge. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/254813461_Language_Economy_and_Linguistic_Landscape
Cherry, K. (2023, November 27). The Psychology of the Color Yellow. What Emotion Does Yellow Represent.
Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/the-color-psychology-of-yellow-2795823
Idescat (2020). Índex socioeconòmic territorial. Índex
socioeconòmic territorial (IST). Índex Catalunya=100. Per agrupacions censals. https://www.idescat.cat/pub/?id=ist&n=14034&by=ac
Idescat (2023). Població estrangera a 1 de gener. Per
districtes. Lleida. https://www.idescat.cat/poblacioestrangera/?b=10&geo=mun:251207
Llei 1/1998, de 7 de gener, de 19
de juliol, de política lingüística. Diari Oficial de la Generalitat de Catalunya
núm. 2553, Capitol V, Article 32. https://llengua.gencat.cat/web/.content/documents/legislacio/llei_de_politica_linguistica/arxius/lleipl98.pdf
Mooney, A. & Evans, B.
(2015). Chapter 5. Linguistic Landscapes. In: Language, society and Power. London & New York: Routledge.
86-107
Paeria. (2020). En 2022, Lleida atravesó la barrera de
los 200.000 visitantes/año. Retrieved
from https://www.paeria.cat/es/actualidad/noticias/en-2022-lleida-atraveso-la-barrera-de-los-200-000-visitantes-ano
Prego-Vázquez, G. i Zas Varela, L. (2018). Paisaje
lingüístico: Un recurso TIC-TAC-TEP para el aula. Lingue
e Linguaggi 25, 277-295. https://doi.org/10.1285/I22390359V25P277
Sabaté, M. (2024). Collective project: Localising English in
Lleida. [Project instructions]. Universitat de Lleida. https://cv.udl.cat/access/content/group/101266-2324/Part%20A%20Sociolinguistics/Project%20Localising%20English%20in%20Lleida/Project%20Information_Assessment_Steps_Outcome.pdf
The Landscape Observatory of Catalonia. (2024). Glossary. The Landscape Observatory of
Catalonia. https://www.catpaisatge.net/en/landscape-resources/landscape-glossary
Comments
Post a Comment