Investigating the Use of English in Public Signage: the Case of Ho Chi Minh City

Le TRINH THI MY, M.A.

Disertační práce

Abstract:

This study analyzes the linguistic landscape in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, with a focus on the role of English in the public signage. The data comprises a corpus of 727 photographic items collected in five neighborhoods in the city: 2 international towns (Downtown and Western Town) and three immigrant towns (Chinatown, Koreatown, and Little Japan). The study focuses on outdoor public signage displaying English and other foreign languages. A framework for quantitative and qualitative analysis is developed, incorporating the existing theories and approaches, notably the ethnolinguistic vitality by Landry and Bourhis (1997), the geosemiotics theory by Scollon and Scollon (2003), Reh's (2004) multilingual writing model, and Blommaert's (2013) diachronic approach. The corpus is coded and analyzed using SPSS to classify signs by authorship (top-down vs. bottom-up), discourse type (commercial vs non-commercial), lingual patterns (monolingual, bilingual, and multilingual), and the presence of English. The findings reveal a high degree of multilingualism and a diversity of languages in Ho Chi Minh City's linguistic landscape, with English appearing on 79.2% of the total signage and serving as the dominant foreign language. English plays a multifunctional role, particularly in commercial discourse, symbolizing modernity and globalization. Thematic analyses further reveal the symbolic value and unique linguistic features of English on public signage, as well as its connection to the city's historical and cultural layers. This study contributes to the understanding of English's role in shaping the linguistic landscape and highlights how public signage reflects the complex sociolinguistic dynamics of Ho Chi Minh City.

Abstract:

This study analyzes the linguistic landscape in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, with a focus on the role of English in the public signage. The data comprises a corpus of 727 photographic items collected in five neighborhoods in the city: 2 international towns (Downtown and Western Town) and three immigrant towns (Chinatown, Koreatown, and Little Japan). The study focuses on outdoor public signage displaying English and other foreign languages. A framework for quantitative and qualitative analysis is developed, incorporating the existing theories and approaches, notably the ethnolinguistic vitality by Landry and Bourhis (1997), the geosemiotics theory by Scollon and Scollon (2003), Reh's (2004) multilingual writing model, and Blommaert's (2013) diachronic approach. The corpus is coded and analyzed using SPSS to classify signs by authorship (top-down vs. bottom-up), discourse type (commercial vs non-commercial), lingual patterns (monolingual, bilingual, and multilingual), and the presence of English. The findings reveal a high degree of multilingualism and a diversity of languages in Ho Chi Minh City's linguistic landscape, with English appearing on 79.2% of the total signage and serving as the dominant foreign language. English plays a multifunctional role, particularly in commercial discourse, symbolizing modernity and globalization. Thematic analyses further reveal the symbolic value and unique linguistic features of English on public signage, as well as its connection to the city's historical and cultural layers. This study contributes to the understanding of English's role in shaping the linguistic landscape and highlights how public signage reflects the complex sociolinguistic dynamics of Ho Chi Minh City.

Keywords

English, role, functions, discourse, public signage, linguistic landscape, multilingual, Ho Chi Minh City

Jazyk práce: angličtina

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 10. 6. 2025

Zveřejnit od: 31. 12. 2999

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Vedoucí: doc. PhDr. Miroslav Černý, Ph.D., doc. PhDr. Miroslav Černý, Ph.D.

OSTRAVSKÁ UNIVERZITA

Filozofická fakulta

Doktorský studijní program / obor:
English Philology / English Philology