Halal Kebab Shop, A Glimpse Into the Incorporation of English and Migrant Populations in Lleida
Halal Kebab Shop, A Glimpse Into the Incorporation of English and Migrant Populations in Lleida
Introduction
This linguistic landscape (LL) is an advertisement put on a wall. As it can be seen, in this linguistic landscape there is a high degree of multimodality, since it provides a combination of text, images and also signs. The text typology that is used is a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, although some words, such as sultan, are emphasised through a decorative typography. Additionally, the word sultan is written in big red letters, indicating its boldness and youthfulness. The activity domain is fast food, focused on Turkish kebabs. Moreover, this is a commercial sign displaying a productive function that aims to promote a restaurant, combining their text typology with images of some of the products that they are selling.
The main languages of this linguistic landscape are Turkish (Döner Kebab) and English (FAST FOOD). On the contrary, the secondary languages are Modern standard Arabic (Halal) and Spanish (Sultan). Finally, the alphabets that are displayed on this token are, on one hand the Latin alphabet that is used for Turkish and English and, on the other hand, the Caliphate alphabet used for the halal certification.
To begin with, we are going to provide some context for this linguistic landscape, situated in Cappont’s neighbourhood, in the city of Lleida, Catalonia, Spain. Altogether, with this and the methodology that we are going to use, the analysis that will be provided will illuminate how the token presented contributes to the incorporation of English and migrant populations in the city of Lleida.
Contextualisation
This linguistic landscape is situated in the street Dra. Castells, 15, 25001, in the Cappont neighbourhood of Lleida, Catalonia, Spain. The Cappont neighbourhood is stretched along the eastern bank of the Segre river.
According to a survey conducted by La Paeria, Lleida’s town hall, in 2018, this neighbourhood is one of the most populars in all the city, which is inhabited by 12.474 people on the whole. It is important to say that women are the most prominent ones in this neighbourhood, constituting 51.4% of the overall population. On the contrary, men occupy a lower position in this survey, and comprise 48.6% of the inhabitants’ total number (Paeria.Cat).
The most predominant range of age of the residents of the Cappont neighbourhood is between 40 - 44 years old, with a total number of 1.187 members (Paeria.Cat). At the same time, the young population is also predominant in this neighbourhood due to the campus of the University of Lleida that is located in Cappont. This is one of the main reasons why this area is so inhabited and full of social life. Additionally, the fact that we found in this neighbourhood one of the University of Lleida’s campuses is an indicator that the neighbourhood, although containing people from many different ethnic communities, is mainly full of people of the middle class.
About the migrant population of Cappont, according to another survey conveyed by La Paeria in 2018, the overall migrant population in the neighbourhood is from 2.964 migrants from different communities. The most prominent community in this area is the people from Romania, with an overall population of 634 inhabitants. Inside the total community, 315 are men, whereas there are slightly more women, with a total of 319; that means that 49.68% of the total are men while the other 50.32% are Romanian women (Paeria.Cat).
On the other hand, there are plenty of communities that are not predominantly present in the district, such as Sierra Leone or Sri Lanka with just 1 person from each community living here.
About the tourism of this current neighbourhood, taking into account that many tourist attractions are in its surroundings, we can say that tourism is active in this area of the city. For instance, as seen in the online web of La Paeria, the Camps Elisis are located in this district. This is a great natural landscape that you can visit, and additionally, is where the Aplec del Caragol is hosted, therefore we can assume that it is a famous location among the inhabitants of Cappont and also Lleida as well. Moreover, there is a museum located in the area called Museu de l’Automoció Roda Roda, this can give us a glimpse about different tourism activities that are displayed in the zone, therefore we can assume that it is a neighbourhood with a great deal of touristification (La Paeria Lleida).
Figure 1 presents a general overview of our Map Source used in class, in which it highlights where our linguistic landscape is situated within the Cappont neighbourhood.
Figure 1
Source: Screenshot from Google Maps taken by the authors (25/03/2025)
On the other hand, both Figure 2.a. and Figure 2.b. are screenshots taken from Google Maps in which our linguistic landscape can be seen, and additionally an appreciation of its surroundings.
As more deeply shown in the methodology of the project, there are different linguistic landscapes displaced around this one, for instance, a gym called Synergym can be found, disposing of the use of English as an advertisement to promote commerce, displaying a productive value.
Figure 2.a.
Source: Screenshot from Google Maps taken by the authors (25/03/2025)
Figure 2.b.
Source: Screenshot from Google Maps taken by the authors (25/03/2025)
Methodology
Throughout the development of this collective project aimed at localizing the English language in Lleida, we completed a total of three visits to the street where our token was located. The first field-work trip took place after deciding what our linguistic landscape example was going to be, and it was conducted on February 25, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. The second visit was made thirteen days after the first one, on March 10th, 2025, at 8:48 a.m, approximately in the same time slot of the first capture. Finally, the last intentional visit was realized two days after the second one and fifteen days after the first visit, on March 12th, 2025, at 10:47 a.m.
In order to explain if the linguistic token we captured pertains to a bottom up or top down language policy we refer to “Butlletí d’ordenança i civisme”, that explains the concepts through certain articles, posed below:
Article 14
Any kind of public signing must be normally written in Catalan.
17.2. Outside the Catalan linguistic sphere, advertising has to be preferably done in Catalan double version and the language of the region where it is addressed, or in Spanish.
Source: Sabaté-Dalmau, 2025, personal communication and classnotes.
1.2. The companies directly managing the local services ought to use the same criteria (normal use of both Spanish and Catalan in the signage), either by an administrative concession or by any other formula of the ones regulated by the local regime normative.
Source: Ajuntament de Lleida (2018); BOP (2014)
This way, we can establish that our linguistic landscape is bottom up, since in this case the owners of the shop or small business decided on the name of the establishment, and also because it reflects identity and cultural values.
In addition, about the linguistic context present in the immediate surroundings of our linguistic landscape, it can be concluded that both examples –pictured below– show English as their matrix language; their main use is present in both examples of a laser hair-removal company (Elha Laser Center) and a gym (Synergym), presenting the slogan Fit Together. By means of employing English as the main language in order to announce the services these two establishments offer, they are both proving the phenomenon of Englishisation around the city of Lleida, noting its employment as a language that brings modern nuances to a company name as well as attracts potential customers.
Figure 3.
Source: Pictures taken by the authors in Carrer de la Doctora Castells; Lleida, 25 March, 2025, at 8:54 a.m.
Furthermore, we noticed the languages being spoken in the area are varied, but do not necessarily always match with the English used in the signs. For instance, since our token displays four distinct languages in the same space (Turkish, Standard Arabic, English and Spanish) the languages spoken in the proximities probably coincide with the ones in the sign; for example when a client who speaks Turkish and wants to buy a kebab enters the shop and addresses the owner in the said language, or when an English tourist is influenced by the fast food phrase and asks for the food in this language.
Most importantly, Spanish and Catalan are the most used languages in the zone, as they are the representatives of the area and the country –especially Catalan–.
Results and discussion
Figure 4.
Source: Picture taken by the authors in Carrer de la Doctora Castells; Lleida, 25 February, 2025, at 8:30 a.m.
After having captured our linguistic landscape and attending the lectures where the activity domain, support and type of sign –among other concepts– were explained, we could establish the presented token as a clear representation of a commercial food shop sign. Further, we compiled the values represented, which are explained below, together with a rationale for our classification:
First and foremost, it has an aesthetic value, defined as the:
“capacity to transmit a certain feeling of beauty, depending on the significance and cultural appreciation that it has acquired throughout history, also the intrinsic value of the colours, diversity, form, proportions, scale, texture and unity of the elements forming the landscape.” (Glossari De Paisatge | Observatori Del Paisatge, n.d.-c).
By means of this definition by the Landscape Glossary it can be demonstrated that Halal Kebab Shop’s main value is the aesthetic one. This is also amplified with the multimodal elements present in the sign: the speedometer indicating the place sells food in a record time –with the arrow indicating top speed being replaced with a knife, which adds more meaning to the intentions of the advertisement–, the two big hamburgers and the kebab in the middle, explaining what does the establishment offer as a service and product, and the drawing of a döner kebab skewer, where the meat is placed and cooked before being cut off.
Besides, there is a coexistence in the sign of various font styles, colors and sizes, such as Sultan in the biggest and most prominent font, in an attractive color. This distinction between the written phrases as well as the existence of drawings and photos in the same sign highlights its notorious aesthetic value.
Secondly, the linguistic landscape presents an identity value. As explained by Observatori del Paisatge (n.d.-c), it is an “element of the landscape or landscapes as a whole with a substantial symbolic or identity-based meaning for local people, who establish relationships of belonging to or identifying with it.”.
Gorter (2006) refers to this perspective when he explains that “identity markers of communities would imprint themselves strongly on the linguistic landscape and finally, that different languages vary in attractiveness to different audiences. It is in this perspective that they speak of the linguistic landscape in terms of symbolic construction of the public space” (p. 4).
Consequently, this linguistic landscape exemplifies the previous definition in regards to the “symbolic construction of the space”, as the owners employed multimodality and multilingualism in the sign to appeal to both the muslim and the global community: the first is represented by the “halal” clarification, appealing to a religious practice involving the consumption of foods made in a safe way for the muslim consumers, while the second one stands in for all the tourists and local people whose aim is to consume food in the establishment.
Likewise, the short phrase Fast Food shows how the phenomenon of Englishisation is present in the city of Lleida, as it is demonstrated how this global language that stands as a Lingua Franca, can appeal both international and local communities and be a decisive factor for consumers to be attracted to shop or eat in the location.
On the other hand, the token also shows productive value, which is the “capacity of a landscape to provide financial benefits, converting its elements into resources.” (Glossari De Paisatge | Observatori Del Paisatge, n.d.-c). This way, it can be stated that the token provides money to the owners of the shop by the establishment’s selling of food.
Simultaneously, the linguistic landscape presents various social meanings, broken down below:
Initially, it is important to mention how, in terms of society and social change, this token promotes economic changes while contributing to a global economy, given it is a commercial shop sign that holds a productive value.
However, not only the monetary benefit is important, but the shaping of a cultural transformation is also key when analysing its impact on individuals: the fact that a Turkish dish has been incorporated around Lleida through commercial institutions, food shops and restaurants demonstrates how our society is becoming multicultural.
On top of that, the shop is announcing its products and services not only in the language from the country where the dish comes from but in three distinct other languages –also in English as a sign of globalisation and Englishisation– which shows the effect upon the customer is of inclusivity and acceptance.
Hence, by utilizing terms such as Halal, Döner Kebab, Sultan and Fast Food, all communities, either local, tourists, migrating people or internationals –and from distinct social status and considerations– can feel welcomed, as the shop, broadens the public it wants to attract. its acceptance to multiple communities, be it local people, tourists, migrating people.
Concludingly, we think that far from excluding local speakers, our token is an example of acceptance of both minor and major languages spoken in the area (Turkish and Arabic, and Catalan and Spanish, respectively), as well as of the lingua franca (English). It remains clear that not only a cultural and social transformation is hinted at in this linguistic landscape, but also the need for language and users’ inclusion as well as their representation.
Concluding thoughts
In conclusion, we can say that, by engaging in this pedagogical project, we have spread our knowledge about the use of the English language as a means to make all communities present in a foreign city and to make them feel welcomed. According to Sabaté-Dalmau (2022), “English plurilingual geared towards fostering intercultural sensitivity and an ethics of respect towards multilingualism” (p. 8). This statement reinforces the idea that Englisation, although sometimes used to promote consumerism, is also used to foster multiculturalism and share respect among all the communities gathered together, altogether with promoting tourism and different activities that could involve the interaction between different communities.
On the other hand, by conducting this project we have been learning about sociolinguistics not just by classroom lessons, but also contributing to the different sessions that we had during these months, co-generating knowledge and combining the classroom knowledge with the one we can find on the streets. We highly believe that is the perfect way to become experts in the field of sociolinguistics, to use different resources that could help us learn more.
From our point of view, with the project we have been able to become generators of knowledge and, at the same time, become aware of how the English language can be used to promote interculturality and multilingualism.
In this case, the linguistic landscape that we have presented is used as an inclusive tool for the Muslim community but also for the local community of Lleida, encouraging intercultural social interactions. Additionally, it promotes the inclusion of minor communities and the acceptance of both minor languages, such as Standard Arabic, and major languages such as English, to cooperate together to build a more multicultural environment.
References and web sources
Gorter, D. (2006). Introduction: The Study of the Linguistic Landscape as a New Approach to Multilingualism. Universiteit van Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Glossari de paisatge | Observatori del Paisatge. (n.d.). https://www.catpaisatge.net/en/landscape-resources/landscape-glossary
La Paeria - Ajuntament de Lleida. (n. d.). La Paeria - Ajuntament de Lleida. https://www.paeria.cat/
Maria Sabaté-Dalmau (2022): ‘Localizing English in town’: a linguistic landscape project for a Critical Linguistics Education on multilingualism, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, DOI: 10.1080/13670050.2022.2067978
https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2022.2067978
Paeria.Cat. (n. d.). Dada oberta.
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