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Shifting agency in shaping linguistic landscape: Evidence from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

  • The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea
  • Abbr : 사회언어학
  • 2014, 22(2), pp.45-64
  • Publisher : The Sociolinguistic Society Of Korea
  • Research Area : Humanities > Linguistics

Chul-Joon Yang 1

1한국외국어대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This paper addresses the question of agency in shaping linguistic landscape and its manifold social and political implications in changing language ideology, attitudes and situations in post-Ujamaa Tanzania. Based on empirical data collected in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, this paper attempts to explain shifting agency in shaping linguistic landscape in the context of globalization as well as the spread of English in Tanzania. Agency in shaping linguistic landscape is inseparably interconnected with various social actors'motivations and reflects social changes at large. The domain of human agency behind linguistic landscape (public uses of written language) can be characterized as an epiphenomenon which involves a historical dimension and perspective. The study of linguistic landscape with special reference to agency offers a useful tool for examining various social actors who vie for public space. Agency in linguistic landscape needs to be seen in the wider context of social processes and existing power structures.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.

This paper was written with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea.