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Article published In: Linguistic Landscape
Vol. 5:3 (2019) ► pp.302–329

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Signs of resistance in the Asturian linguistic landscape

 | Appalachian State University
Published online: 12 November 2019
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https://doi.org/10.1075/ll.18015.seb
Abstract
A linguistic landscape analysis, grounded in the ideas of contestation and resistance (Blackwood, R., Lanza, E., & Woldemariam, H. (2016). Negotiating and contesting identities in linguistic landscapes. London: Bloomsbury.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar; Rubdy, R., & Ben Said, S. (2015). Conflict, exclusion and dissent in the linguistic landscape. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar) and carried out using Scollon, R., & Scollon, S. W. (2003). Discourses in place: Language in the material world. New York: Routledge. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar concept of place semiotics, was conducted in four cities located in the Asturias region of Northern Spain. The primary goals of the study were to investigate and interpret the (in)visibility of Asturian, an endangered language spoken primarily in and around the capital city of Oviedo. Distinct patterns on public signage involving font alterations, layering, and material selections indicate that the linguistic landscape was being used as an asynchronous public forum between Asturian advocates and unseen actors. Drawing on similar studies of deliberately modified linguistic landscapes (Gorter, D., Aiestaran, J., & Cenoz, J. (2012). The revitalization of Basque and the linguistic landscape of Donostia-San Sebastián. In D. Gorter, H. F. Heiko, & L. Van Mensel (Eds.), Minority languages in the linguistic landscape (pp. 148–163). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar; Tupas, R. (2015). All of myself has to change: A story of inclusion and exclusion in an unequal learning space. In R. Rubdy, & S. Ben Said (Eds.), Conflict, exclusion and dissent in the linguistic landscape (pp. 170–184). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar), this paper introduces the concept of the asynchronously layered linguistic landscape in which evidence of contestation and resistance can be found in strategic juxtapositions of sign materiality.
Resumen
Un análisis del paisaje lingüístico basado en las ideas de contestación y resistencia (Blackwood, R., Lanza, E., & Woldemariam, H. (2016). Negotiating and contesting identities in linguistic landscapes. London: Bloomsbury.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar; Rubdy, R., & Ben Said, S. (2015). Conflict, exclusion and dissent in the linguistic landscape. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar), e implementado con base en el concepto del semiótico de lugar, fue conducido en cuatro ciudades ubicadas en la región de Asturias en el norte de España. Las metas principales del estudio fueron investigar e interpretar la (in)visibilidad del asturiano, un idioma en peligro de extinción hablado principalmente en la ciudad capital de Oviedo y sus lugares aledaños. Distintas características de los letreros públicos incluso alteraciones de letras, superposiciones, y selección de materiales indican que el paisaje lingüístico servía como un foro público y asincrónico entre defensores del asturiano y actores invisibles. Haciendo referencia a otros estudios de paisajes lingüísticos modificados a propósito (Gorter, D., Aiestaran, J., & Cenoz, J. (2012). The revitalization of Basque and the linguistic landscape of Donostia-San Sebastián. In D. Gorter, H. F. Heiko, & L. Van Mensel (Eds.), Minority languages in the linguistic landscape (pp. 148–163). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar; Tupas, R. (2015). All of myself has to change: A story of inclusion and exclusion in an unequal learning space. In R. Rubdy, & S. Ben Said (Eds.), Conflict, exclusion and dissent in the linguistic landscape (pp. 170–184). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar), en este artículo se presenta el concepto del paisaje lingüístico asincrónico y superpuesto en lo cuál, evidencia de contestación y resistencia se puede encontrar en yuxtaposiciones estratégicas de la materialidad de señales.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Theoretical and conceptual frameworks
  • 3.Asturian in context
  • 4.Methodology
    • 4.1Researcher positionality
    • 4.2Data collection & analysis
  • 5.Findings
  • 6.Discussion
    • 6.1Asynchronously layered linguistic landscapes
  • 7.Conclusions
  • Note
  • References
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