Linguistic Landscape and Language Policies: a Comparative Study of Linköping University and ETH Zürich

Linköping University Department of Culture and Communication Master’s Programme in Language and Culture in Europe Linguistic Landscape and Language Policies: A Comparative Study of Linköping University and ETH Zürich Author: Sonia Yavari Master’s Thesis 30 credits July 2012 Supervisor: Nigel Musk Examiner: Richard Hirsch This thesis is dedicated to my mother, Mahboubeh Basiri. Her support, encouragement, and constant love have sustained me throughout my life. I would not be who I am today without the motherly love and care of my mother. Table of Contents List of Figures ........................................................................................................................................... 3 List of Tables ............................................................................................................................................ 3 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................. 4 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 5 2. Literature Review ............................................................................................................................ 7 2.1 Linguistic Landscape ................................................................................................................ 8 2.1.1 Linguistic Landscape Methodology ................................................................................. 9 2.2 Language Policy ..................................................................................................................... 12 3. Background .................................................................................................................................... 15 3.1 Sweden .................................................................................................................................. 16 3.1.1 Languages and Policies in Sweden ................................................................................ 16 3.1.2 Linköping University ...................................................................................................... 16 3.1.3 Language Policies at Linköping University ..................................................................... 18 3.2 Switzerland ............................................................................................................................ 19 3.2.1 Languages and Policies in Switzerland .......................................................................... 19 3.2.2 ETH Zürich ...................................................................................................................... 20 3.2.3 Language Policies at ETH Zürich .................................................................................... 21 4. Methods and Data ......................................................................................................................... 24 4.1 Data Collection at Linköping University ................................................................................ 25 4.2 Interviews in Linköping .......................................................................................................... 26 4.3 Data Collection at ETH Zürich ................................................................................................ 27 4.4 Problems in Data Collection .................................................................................................. 27 4.5 Interviews in Zürich ............................................................................................................... 28 4.6 Categorizing the data ............................................................................................................ 29 4.6.1 Sign Writer ..................................................................................................................... 31 4.7 Analysing the Data ................................................................................................................. 32 5. Data Analysis and Results .............................................................................................................. 33 5.1 Languages on Signs ................................................................................................................ 34 5.2 Types of Multilingual Signs .................................................................................................... 36 5.3 Distribution of Languages in Various Areas........................................................................... 40 5.3.1 International Offices ...................................................................................................... 41 5.3.2 Student Organizations ................................................................................................... 42 5.3.3 Students’ Notices ........................................................................................................... 42 1 5.4 Definitions of the Categories ................................................................................................. 43 5.5 Analysis of Categories ............................................................................................................ 47 5.6 Analysis of Top-down and Bottom-up Signs.......................................................................... 50 6. Discussion and Conclusions ........................................................................................................... 54 6.1 Suggestions for Future Studies .............................................................................................. 58 References ............................................................................................................................................. 59 2 List of Figures Fig. 3.1 Map of Sweden ......................................................................................................................... 17 Fig. 3.2 Map of Campus Valla ................................................................................................................ 18 Fig. 3.3 Map of Switzerland ................................................................................................................... 21 Fig. 3.4 Map of Campus Zentrum .......................................................................................................... 21 Fig. 4.1 A sign at the door of a bookshop .............................................................................................. 31 Fig. 4.2 Top-down signs at LiU and ETH with the logo of each university at the bottom ..................... 32 Fig. 5.1 Variety of languages displayed at LiU (left) and ETH (right) ..................................................... 34 Fig. 5.2 The multilingual patterns of signs at LiU .................................................................................. 37 Fig. 5.3 The multilingual patterns of signs at ETH ................................................................................. 37 Fig. 5.4 A bilingual sign in fragmentary writing ..................................................................................... 38 Fig. 5.5 A bilingual sign in duplicating writing ....................................................................................... 39 Fig. 5.6 A bilingual sign in complementary writing ............................................................................... 40 Fig. 5.7 Distribution of languages in different areas at LiU ................................................................... 40 Fig. 5.8 Distribution of languages in different areas at ETH .................................................................. 41 Fig. 5.9 Different types of advertising signs .......................................................................................... 43 Fig. 5.10 Informative signs..................................................................................................................... 44 Fig. 5.11 Instructions ............................................................................................................................. 45 Fig. 5.12 services ................................................................................................................................... 46 Fig. 5.13 Different types of signs ........................................................................................................... 47 Fig. 5.14 Jokes ........................................................................................................................................ 47 Fig. 5.15 Distribution of languages in different categories at LiU ......................................................... 48 Fig. 5.16 Distribution of languages in different categories at ETH ........................................................ 48 Fig. 5.17 A set of directive signs at Linköping University ...................................................................... 53 List of Tables Table 4.1‎ Areas of data collection ......................................................................................................... 28 Table 4.2‎ Division of signs ..................................................................................................................... 29 Table 5.1‎ Number and percentage of languages displayed at ETH ....................................................... 35 Table 5.2‎ Number and

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