A Sociolinguistic Analysis of a Commercial District in Seoul : A Linguistic Landscape Approach

• 발행기관: 한국사회언어학회
• 저자명: Park Eun-hee Yang Jin-suk
• 간행물 정보: 『사회언어학』제23권 2호, 37~63쪽, 전체 27쪽
• 주제분류: 어문학 > 언어학
• 파일형태: PDF
• 발행일자: 2015.08.31

영문 초록

This paper investigates current sociolinguistic status of English and Korean by analyzing public signs at a shopping-centered district in Seoul, Korea. It is grounded on the idea that looking into a linguistic landscape (LL) of shopping districts in Seoul can address differential social values and meanings upon which the languages hinge in contemporary Korean society. For this study, a total of 140 public signs were analyzed according to language choice, linguistic features of English signs, and the relationship between language choice and commercial domain. The results indicate that 1) English signs outnumbered those of Korean, Chinese, and French, 2) English signs were mainly produced through juxtaposition, meaning that English (or Anglicized) words were displayed in parallel, and 3) while youth-populated domains such as coffee shops and cosmetic stores mobilized English to index a sense of modernity, language choice diverged in the food industry diverged depending on the types of food. This study shows how public signs on the street can be a useful analytical tool to investigate contemporary language ideologies in the society.

목차

1. Introduction

2. Theoretical Overview: Linguistic Landscape

3. Methods

4. Findings and Discussion

5. Summary and Future Research Directions

키워드

linguistic landscape visual grammar Sinchon youth market