1. A study of the
Linguistic Landscape
of Kissena and
Geranium
By: Courtnei Smalls and Fatimah Rahim
LCD 205 Sociolinguistics
For: Professor Michael Newman

2. The linguistic mosaic that we
chose to evaluate is located on
Kissena Boulevard not far from
Queens college. Just before
Geranium many commuters pass
through a two block span which
provides the viewer with a
diversity of language displays.
The written language is available
in Chinese, Spanish and English,
providing the implication that the
speech and reading abilities of the
immediate community are as rich
and diverse as their linguistic
landscape.

6. • Courtnei and I surveyed the area, taking an abundance of
pictures for a three block length of Kissena Boulevard.
Starting at Kissena and Holly and heading North until
Kissena and Kalmia Avenue.
Allstate:
Top down
Multilingual
ENG/SPA/CH
Beauty
Salon:
Bottom up
Multilingual
CHI/ENG/SP
Grocery
Store
Bottom up
Bilingual
CHI/ENG
Bakery
Outlet
Bottom Up
Bilingual
CHI/ENG
Shanghai
Noodle Shop
Bottom Up
Monolingual
CHI
Aquarium
Shop
Bottom Up
Bilingual
CHI/ENG
Payphones
on Street
Top down
Multilingual
CHI/ENG/SP
Convenience
store
Bottom Up
Multilingual
CHI/ENG/SP
Dist. of
Languages
Dist. of
Languages
Dist. of
Languages
Dist. of
Languages
Dist. of
Languages
Dist. of
Languages
Dist. of
Languages
Dist. of
Languages
Although
English was
the most
Dominante,
Chinese and
Spanish were
displayed
using same
font size
indicating
equal status
as
subordinates
Chinese was
the dominant
language of
display.
English was
the
subordinate
language
with smaller
font. Spanish
used the
least
Chinese
was the
dominant
language of
display.
English was
subordinate
with smaller
font.
Chinese was
the dominant
language of
display.
English was
subordinate
with smaller
font.
Chinese was
the dominant
language of
display. No
speakers of
English were
employed to
order we had
to look at the
menu and
point. Menu
w/subordinate
English
Chinese
was the
dominant
language of
display.
English was
subordinate
with smaller
font.
Dominate
Lang:
Chinese.
Subordinate
Languages
were English
and SP.
Larger
Spanish font
indicates an
attempt to
communicat
e with them
Spanish was
displayed
with
Dominance
due to
location next
to bus stop.
English was
displayed
with
subordinate
and Chinese
was as well.

8. What languages are used as
means of communication?

9. Owner said: “Well if you look around, we have a representative
for each language. So if someone comes in, they are fully
capable of being helped. And the reason we did that of course is
because of the make-up of the community.”
We said: “Of course that is understandable. Is there any reason
you chose to arrange the languages the way you did?”
Owner said: “Allstate is about name recognition. We deal
primarily in English because we are a global insurance company
and that is why we have English as the biggest displayed
language. People recognize the name Allstate regardless of their
native language. Like Mcdonalds’. Next is Chinese because the
population of the area is more than 50% Asian and 20%
Hispanic or Latino. But don’t get me wrong we have the forms
and the information available in all the languages that we
advertise outside.”

10. How do power and solidarity
influence languages displayed
for this shop owner?

11. The owner of the beauty salon had quite an explanation for the
languages she had selected to advertise on her sign. She proudly
informed us that the reason those languages were on the sign outside
was “because I speak all those ‘language.’
“Oh how impressive. You speak three languages?”
“No!” she answers indignantly. “I speak four.”
“Really? Which four do you speak?” we asked.
“Yes. English, Chinese, Spanish, and Portuguese. I learned
all of them.”
What is the shop owners
intention in relation to the
choice of signage?

13. What inference could you conclude using the
concepts of power and solidarity here?