Scripted Urbanity in the Canadian North
In Canadian northern settlements terms pertaining to traffic are created in local languages. We assess the positioning of languages in public space in northern landscapes through evidence from Nunavik in Northeastern Canada. We argue that the co‐existence of scripts is as relevant as language choice...
| Published in: | Journal of Linguistic Anthropology |
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| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2009
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1548-1395.2009.01020.x https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1548-1395.2009.01020.x https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1548-1395.2009.01020.x |
| Summary: | In Canadian northern settlements terms pertaining to traffic are created in local languages. We assess the positioning of languages in public space in northern landscapes through evidence from Nunavik in Northeastern Canada. We argue that the co‐existence of scripts is as relevant as language choice when creating road signs in the Canadian North and show how multigraphic signs, in particular the use of multiple scripts for a single language, make an international (circumpolar) debate about language tangible at the community level. Stop signs and streetname signs complement each other, illustrating language use, language politics and cultural identity among Canadian Inuit. [multilingualism, writing systems, language politics, circumpolar world, Canadian Inuit] |
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