Branding and material culture of multilingualism and identities in linguistic landscapes in Langa

Abstract

Very few studies of linguistic landscape (LL) have been conducted in townships, rural areas, and Africa in general. The focus is and has been on major city centres and their surroundings. Therefore, this study seeks to contribute to the study of linguistic landscape and in turn to increase understanding of multilingualism. Most importantly recent studies that are using social semiotic approach to multimodality are looking beyond language to include other semiotic resources constituting space. Thus, this study follows this new breed of studies that have focused on the social semiotics of landscapes or multimodality and space rather than language alone. The thesis explored selected local and non-South African owned shops in Langa township.