• The Conference
  • Home
  • Programme
  • Venue & directions
  • Organizing Committee
  • Scientific Committee
  • Exhibitors & sponsors
  • Satellite events
  • Conference Party
• Past & future
  • Previous symposia
  • Finland 2014
  • Spain 2016
• About FU Berlin
  • University homepage
  • Humanities at FU

Programme: accepted abstracts

Abstract ID: 958

Part of Session 133: Ethnicity, Language and Culture in a Post-Soviet Multi-Ethnic City (Other abstracts in this session)

Is Linguistic Competence Sufficient for Understanding the Full Meaning of Public Signs? Examples of Culture-Dependent Semiotics in the Linguistic Landscape of Cities in the Baltic States

Authors: Lazdiņa, Sanita
Submitted by: Lazdiņa, Sanita (Rēzekne University College, Latvia)

The dominating languages on public signs of the Baltic States are the three state languages of Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian respectively, English and Russian. My paper presents qualitative and quantitative data from a large-scale project which connects research according to the Linguistic Landscape approach to regional cultural studies and regional development in six medium-size towns of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The quantative data which I discuss shows not only patterns of language use, elements of language contact and linguistic hierarchies, but also includes many instances of semantically ambiguous meanings of names (particularly in private signs).

My qualitative data provides additional information on these signs taken from interviews with the sign producers such as public officials, employees of shops or hotel owners. In these, they identify their aims in producing the signs and reasons for, for instance, giving one or another name to e.g. a shop or a café. This motivation in sign production will be contrasted to the perceptions of sign readers, and to how much and which information they are able to decode.

In this way, I will analyse the intended readership of signs, how linguistic decisions (consciously or unconsciously) exclude certain groups from information and participation in society, and why certain symbols are used. In addition, I will pay attention to the semiotics of some signs in the interplay of local, national and international symbols: Which signs provide additional cultural information which go beyond their pure linguistic side and which either only „true“ locals can understand, or for which understanding of trends of globalisation is essential?