Translanguaging and the Negotiation of Meaning. Multilingual Signage in a Swiss Linguistic Landscape

Abstract

Multilingual signs in the linguistic landscape raise several questions about everyday translingual practices. We addressed the questions: What translingual practices do recipients mobilise to negotiate the linguistic meanings of unofficial multilingual signs that constitute the linguistic landscape of a commercial and residential suburb (Kleinbasel) in Switzerland? And what social meaning do these recipients ascribe to these multilingual signs? We sought to answer these questions by analysing the interaction amongst members in two focus groups talking about a selection of multilingual signs. With regard to the first question, various translingual practices aimed at reaching consensus about the coherence of multilingual signs were noted; with regard to the second, discussions about inclusion and exclusion through multilingual signs were observed.