Home Linguistics & Semiotics Chapter 9. Reframing the question of correlation between the local linguistic population and urban signage
Chapter
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

Chapter 9. Reframing the question of correlation between the local linguistic population and urban signage

The case of Spanish in the Los Angeles linguistic landscape
  • Jhonni Rochelle Charisse Carr
View more publications by John Benjamins Publishing Company
To Publisher Page
Linguistic Landscape in the Spanish-speaking World
This chapter is in the book Linguistic Landscape in the Spanish-speaking World

Abstract

While some scholars have argued that signage does not reflect the linguistic population of a particular community, in this chapter I argue for an empirical reexamination of this claim and posit four necessary methodological measures: a comparison of multiple cities, an exhaustive approach to data collection, an analysis of the dominant language of both the main and informative sections, and the use of descriptive and inferential statistics. I apply the proposed model to a case study of three cities in Los Angeles and a corpus of 4,664 signs. Although the LL will never be a perfect mirror of the languages spoken in a community, a nuanced analysis of sign configurations can provide insight regarding local oral languages to varying extents.

Abstract

While some scholars have argued that signage does not reflect the linguistic population of a particular community, in this chapter I argue for an empirical reexamination of this claim and posit four necessary methodological measures: a comparison of multiple cities, an exhaustive approach to data collection, an analysis of the dominant language of both the main and informative sections, and the use of descriptive and inferential statistics. I apply the proposed model to a case study of three cities in Los Angeles and a corpus of 4,664 signs. Although the LL will never be a perfect mirror of the languages spoken in a community, a nuanced analysis of sign configurations can provide insight regarding local oral languages to varying extents.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements vii
  4. List of contributors ix
  5. Introduction 1
  6. Part I. Linguistic landscape and people’s identities
  7. Chapter 1. Language use and identity negotiation in the linguistic landscape of Chipilo, Mexico 19
  8. Chapter 2. A changing landscape of voseo in Medellín? 45
  9. Chapter 3. Ethnolinguistic vitality and linguistic landscape 73
  10. Chapter 4. Ideologies in the linguistic landscape 105
  11. Part II. Contesting the linguistic landscape of public space
  12. Chapter 5. Urban discourse and civil resistance against gender-based violence in Madrid 135
  13. Chapter 6. Armed conflict and resistance in indigenous Colombia 159
  14. Chapter 7. The Escondido swap meet 183
  15. Chapter 8. The linguistic landscape of the Raval 215
  16. Chapter 9. Reframing the question of correlation between the local linguistic population and urban signage 239
  17. Part III. Language commodification in the linguistic landscape
  18. Chapter 10. Languages to buy and sell 269
  19. Chapter 11. An analysis of how business owners use Valencian and Spanish in the linguistic landscape 293
  20. Chapter 12. Linguistic Landscape in Otavalo 313
  21. Chapter 13. Donde su visión se hace realidad 341
  22. Chapter 14. The act of naming in the Hispanic linguistic landscape of Milan 365
  23. Index 393
https://doi.org/10.1075/ihll.35.09car

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements vii
  4. List of contributors ix
  5. Introduction 1
  6. Part I. Linguistic landscape and people’s identities
  7. Chapter 1. Language use and identity negotiation in the linguistic landscape of Chipilo, Mexico 19
  8. Chapter 2. A changing landscape of voseo in Medellín? 45
  9. Chapter 3. Ethnolinguistic vitality and linguistic landscape 73
  10. Chapter 4. Ideologies in the linguistic landscape 105
  11. Part II. Contesting the linguistic landscape of public space
  12. Chapter 5. Urban discourse and civil resistance against gender-based violence in Madrid 135
  13. Chapter 6. Armed conflict and resistance in indigenous Colombia 159
  14. Chapter 7. The Escondido swap meet 183
  15. Chapter 8. The linguistic landscape of the Raval 215
  16. Chapter 9. Reframing the question of correlation between the local linguistic population and urban signage 239
  17. Part III. Language commodification in the linguistic landscape
  18. Chapter 10. Languages to buy and sell 269
  19. Chapter 11. An analysis of how business owners use Valencian and Spanish in the linguistic landscape 293
  20. Chapter 12. Linguistic Landscape in Otavalo 313
  21. Chapter 13. Donde su visión se hace realidad 341
  22. Chapter 14. The act of naming in the Hispanic linguistic landscape of Milan 365
  23. Index 393
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2026 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 24.2.2026 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1075/ihll.35.09car/html
Scroll to top button