A multi-sited analysis of the linguistic landscape of Hong Kong through a center-periphery approach

Abstract

Taking a center-periphery approach, this study is a rare attempt to present a multi-sited empirical analysis comparing three physically adjacent and connected sites in a town in Hong Kong to explore the interconnectivity, subjectivity, and dynamicity of the landscape. While all three sites can be considered bilingual or even multilingual spaces with the omnipresence of English, there are noticeable differences in terms of how much English there is, the physical material and semiotic resources through which English is displayed, and in what forms such English exists. In other words, the three sites differ in the degree, texture and creativity of English through the ways in which physical geography, architectural setting and social actors interact.