Paper short abstract:

This paper explores processes of city-making through the study of the linguistic landscape of a linguistically heterogenous small-size city in Sweden. Using a mixed-methods approach, we study the place given to multilingualism as a way to examine urban practices enacted by the production of signs.

Paper long abstract:

In this presentation, we will explore processes of city-making through the study of the linguistic landscape (languages such as they materialize on signs, billboards, etc) of a small-size city in northern Sweden, Kramfors. Demographically, it is a culturally and linguistically heterogenous municipality: 13,1 percent (2018) of the population is born outside Sweden.

The documentation and analysis of the locations, authors, languages and purposes of signs are here used as a tool for examining urban practices enacted by the production of signs. While official signs reveal who is addressed, included and visible (or not) in the city, vernacular signs indicate who claims, uses and interacts with the urban space. All signs displayed in the city center were photographed during two days of ethnographic fieldwork in June 2019. Using a mixed methods approach, all signs were first analyzed quantitatively according to linguistic code (i.e. named language), space (e.g. on building, sign post etc.), and modality (e.g. sticker, poster). Secondly, multilingual signs were analyzed qualitatively regarding their function and purpose in relation to their contexts such as political, economic and technological structures.

Based on this analysis, we observe that the occurrence of multilingualism found in the socio-demographic data and in our fieldwork observations is not represented in the linguistic landscape. Rather, our results illustrate a city center with a strong presence of the Swedish language, in particular on non-movable and permanent signs. Multilingual signs, in contrast, target specific groups, are temporary and intended for information, advertisement, rules and regulations.