Abstract:

Applying the linguistic landscape perspective as a departing point this study attempts to explore the multilingualism and ethnic/religious diversity of the ‘8 km District’ (neighbourhood) in Baku, Azerbaijan. The study is based on ethnographic research focusing on a complexity of multilingual codes present on a scene and uses visual signs, wild posting advertising, language use and in-depth interviews with the inhabitants as sources of data.

The selection of the research site is not accidental. The 8th km district is considered to be ‘a typical’ Soviet ‘sleeping district’ built in 1960th and characterized by standardized housing complexes (dominated by Khrushchyovka and Leningradka buildings) to accommodate the growing population of factory workers. The extension of the metro line to the area in 1972 and construction of two metro stations added dynamism to the area and brough it closer to the central parts of the city. The recent construction boom led to the gradual demolition of the Khrushchyovka buildings and the construction of multi-story buildings instead, significantly expanding the number of residents and transforming it into the vibrant commercial area.

Using the theoretical lens of ‘lived space’ as coined by Lefebvre, I regard ‘8th km District’ as "a product of mediation", where global processes, local ideologies, and commercial interests come together to produce the periphery of the capital city. In particular, the case study focuses on the discrepancies between the official language policy and street-signs regulations of the national authorities (top-down) and the impact of that policy on individuals as reflected in such localized experiences as shop names or street posters (bottom-up signs). The findings of the research demonstrate that the official policy of de-Russification of the linguistic landscape is being challenged by the local inhabitants for whom Russian language retains its positions of medium of communications and commercial functionality. However, the parallel tendencies of linguistic globalization through proliferation primarily of English and Turkish languages can be observed. Thus, the microcosm of the ‘8th km District’ acts as a “reflection of society on the ground” where certain meanings are being negotiated whereas the restrictions and regulations are creatively circumnavigated.

Key words: ‘lived space’, linguistic landscape, urban periphery, language policies, de-Russification