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Article published In: Linguistic Landscape
Vol. 2:1 (2016) ► pp.80–103

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Outdoor signage as a trait in the linguistic landscape during Operation Protective Edge

 | Oranim Academic College of Education
Published online: 19 May 2016
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https://doi.org/10.1075/ll.2.1.04zee
Researchers have discussed the display of emotions in modern society as a response to stimuli — some of which are internal and private events whereas others are displayed to the outside world (Tourinho, Borba, Vichi, & Leite, 2011). In particular, during times of crisis there seems to be an awakening of patriotic feelings and a tendency to express emotions through symbolic artifacts (Bar-Tal & Ben-Amos, 2004; First & Avraham, 2010; Zeevi, 2009). This article describes and analyzes Israel’s linguistic landscape as reflected by outdoor signs during the military operation Protective Edge (in Hebrew “Tzuk Eitan”) as a display of citizens’ feelings. One-hundred different outdoor signs were selected from a 300 convenience sample and analyzed according to categories of the initiators of the signs, the objects of the messages, and the ways in which solidarity and patriotism were expressed. The findings indicate that indeed, a strong message of patriotism and solidarity emerged from visual and linguistic elements in the signs, as well as their location. The findings show that the LL ceases to be “a space” and becomes a place that conveys a message and contains a social meaning (Shohamy & Waksman 2009).
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