EXPLORING THE LINGUISTIC LANDSCAPE OF JINAN’S HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL BLOCK: POLICY AND PRACTICE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55197/qjssh.v7i3.1209Keywords:
public signage, internationalization, physical dimension, political dimensionAbstract
This study examines the relationship between language policy and linguistic landscape practice in the Furongjie-Baihuazhou historical and cultural block of Jinan. Based on the political and physical dimensions of Trumper-Hecht’s analytical model, this study investigates whether signage in the physical dimension reflects government goals toward internationalization. A mixed-methods approach combines photographic data of 432 signs with an analysis of policy documents. Research findings reveal a significant gap between policy intentions and practices. While policies advocate for standardized bilingual signage, the landscape remains heavily Chinese-dominated, with 62.8% of official and 86.4% of non-official signs being strictly monolingual. Moreover, Chinese exhibits absolute visual salience in over 90% of bilingual and multilingual signs, alongside prevalent mistranslations and pragmatic failures. The study concludes that current practices fail to realize the internationalization goals, offering practical implications for enhancing the international language environment of historical blocks. These findings also provide useful directions for future policy implementation.
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