Linguistic Landscape and Language Planning

Abstract

Linguistic landscape, henceforth LL, is made up of public and private signs i.e.; the language(s) displayed in public space. It has recently been researched by scholars from different disciplines concerned with issues of languages in contact phenomenon which is rather a case of written languages in contact. Two factors intervene in its development. The first factor falls within the official language agencies responsible of language use and regulations while the second includes individuals, and private institutions using language(s) purposefully for their own objectives escaping the control of the authorities and thus taking the freedom of rule violation as a creative way of communication. As a field of language research it mostly deals with the sociology of language, and more particularly, language policy and planning, but it is also considered as a resource for language learning and as a place of contested identities and language conflicts and hidden language agendas. Thus, necessity rises to consider LL not only as a strategy for language management but also as the key place where it must take place. It is for these very reasons that the main objective of the present article focusses on exploring LL as a strategy of language planning and management because the bottom-up individual and private agencies constitute the active agents in issues of language use, maintenance, and promotion.