MULTILINGUALISM IN ADVERTISING: A LINGUISTIC LANDSCAPE STUDY AT TIMOR PLAZA, DILI, TIMOR-LESTE

Agus Martins, Agalita Gomes


Abstract


Language use in public spaces reflects broader sociocultural dynamics, yet limited research has examined multilingual practices in commercial contexts in Timor-Leste. This study investigates the linguistic landscape (LL) of advertising signs at Timor Plaza in Dili, focusing on language distribution and the motivations behind language selection. The main objective of this study is to analyze how language choice in advertising signage reflects sociocultural interaction, identity negotiation, and power relations within a multilingual environment. Using a qualitative design, the research employed documentary analysis of 142 advertising signs, semi-structured interviews with shop owners and managers, and photographic documentation as data collection techniques. Data were analyzed thematically to identify linguistic patterns and communicative motivations. The analysis shows that English (44%) and Tetun (24%) dominate the signage, while bilingual combinations of Tetun and English account for 30%, and multilingual signs using Portuguese or Bahasa Indonesia represent only 2%. English is primarily employed to project modernity, cosmopolitanism, and global appeal, whereas Tetun ensures cultural relevance, authenticity, and accessibility for local audiences. The occasional inclusion of Portuguese and Bahasa Indonesia reflects Timor-Leste’s colonial history and regional connections, signifying both heritage and proximity. Overall, the linguistic landscape at Timor Plaza demonstrates a deliberate balance between globalization and local identity, positioning language as both a communicative and symbolic resource. This study advances theoretical understanding of linguistic landscapes by emphasizing the dynamic relationship between language, commerce, and identity, and it provides practical implications for language policy, marketing communication, and sociocultural planning in multilingual societies.


Keywords


Linguistic Landscape, Multilingualism, Commercial Spaces, Sociolinguistics, Timor-Leste, Globalization.

Full Text:

PDF

References


Cenoz, J., & Gorter, D. (2006). Linguistic landscape and minority languages. International Journal of Multilingualism, 3(1), 67–80. https://doi.org/10.1080/14790710608668386

Cenoz, J., & Gorter, D. (2017). Linguistic landscape and multilingual education. In D. Gorter, H. Marten, & L. Van Mensel (Eds.), Minority languages in the linguistic landscape (pp. 116–138). Palgrave Macmillan.

Cenoz, J., & Gorter, D. (2022). Linguistic landscape as a tool for promoting multilingualism. Applied Linguistics Review, 13(2), 245–268. https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2020-0120

Clorion, R., Li, J., & Boucher, A. (2024). Institutional multilingualism in Southeast Asian public signage: Visual strategies and audience inclusion. Journal of Language and Society, 39(1), 52–74.

Dagenais, D., Moore, D., Sabatier, C., Lamarre, P., & Armand, F. (2008). Linguistic landscape and language awareness. In E. Shohamy & D. Gorter (Eds.), Linguistic landscape: Expanding the scenery (pp. 253–269). Routledge.

de la Cruz, M. (2021). Language visibility and identity in Philippine shopping centers: A linguistic landscape approach. Asian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 8(3), 101–118.

Dumanig, F. P. (2023). English dominance and identity in Philippine commercial spaces: A sociolinguistic inquiry. World Englishes, 42(2), 312–329. https://doi.org/10.1111/weng.12645

Gorter, D. (2023). Multilingual cities and linguistic landscapes: The changing visibility of languages in the 21st century. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 43, 134–149. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0267190523000068

Gorter, D., & Cenoz, J. (2021). Integrating visual multilingualism in sociolinguistic research: Linguistic landscapes revisited. International Journal of Multilingualism, 18(3), 291–308.

Hatoss, A. (2022). Linguistic landscapes and globalization: Visual multilingualism in global cities. Journal of Sociolinguistics, 26(5), 723–743. https://doi.org/10.1111/josl.12578

Ibrahim, A. (2021). English in Indonesian public signage: A reflection of global linguistic capital. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 11(2), 230–243.

Jackson, J., Lee, S., & Wong, M. (2022). Language, society, and identity in multilingual cities. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 278(4), 1–19.

Jaworski, A., & Thurlow, C. (2020). Semiotic landscapes: Language, image, space. Bloomsbury Academic.

Lai, C. H., & Rahman, N. (2022). English and Malay coexistence in Malaysian shopping malls: A linguistic landscape analysis. Asian Englishes, 24(3), 221–239.

Landry, R., & Bourhis, R. Y. (1997). Linguistic landscape and ethnolinguistic vitality: An empirical study. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 16(1), 23–49. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261927X970161002

Mehan, H. (2024). Language inclusion and diversity in urban signage: A sociolinguistic perspective. Urban Linguistic Studies, 7(1), 44–60.

Parra, M. (2022). The economics of linguistic landscapes: Language choice as market positioning. Journal of Language and Economics, 5(2), 88–107.

Putra, R., & Irawan, D. (2020). English prestige and consumer identity in Jakarta’s commercial signage. Linguistik Indonesia, 38(2), 125–140.

Salomone, A., & Salomone, R. (2022). English as a global semiotic resource in public communication. Language and Intercultural Communication, 22(1), 58–74.

Santos Rovira, L. (2024). Urban linguistic visibility: Multilingual representations in contemporary cities. Journal of Urban Multilingualism, 2(1), 1–19.

Sari, P. (2023). Language choice and hierarchy in Indonesian commercial signage. Journal of Linguistic Landscape Studies, 4(2), 110–129.

Scollon, R., & Scollon, S. W. (2003). Discourse in place: Language in the material world. Routledge.

Setiawan, I. (2021). English prestige and glocal identity in Jakarta’s retail landscape. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 11(3), 375–389.

Shang, G., & Guo, J. (2017). English dominance and cultural hybridity in Asian advertising discourse. Asian Englishes, 19(1), 35–50. https://doi.org/10.1080/13488678.2016.1265487

Suphap, S. (2022). Language visibility and consumer perception in Bangkok malls: A linguistic landscape study. Asian Journal of Communication, 32(4), 405–421.

Tan, P. K. W., & Rubdy, R. (2019). Multilingual Singapore: The politics and pragmatics of language diversity. World Englishes, 38(3), 431–448.

Taruvinga, D. (2019). Heritage, language, and globalization in postcolonial societies: A comparative study of Southeast Asia. Global Linguistic Review, 4(2), 47–65.

Wang, T., & Jirattikorn, A. (2020). Visual multilingualism and identity in Bangkok’s retail signage. Asian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 7(1), 88–104.

Williams-van Klinken, C. (2023). Language policy and multilingualism in Timor-Leste: Balancing heritage and development. Current Issues in Language Planning, 24(1), 91–108.

Wong, A. (2022). Negotiating modernity through multilingual signage in Malaysia. Journal of Asian Linguistics, 8(2), 212–229.

Wu, H., & Huang, P. (2024). Multimodal representations and cultural identity in Thailand’s linguistic landscape. International Journal of Multilingualism, 21(1), 44–62.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.30743/ll.v1i1.12066

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.