Englishes in the cityscape of Muscat

Victoria Tuzlukova*, Sandhya Rao Mehta

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This paper examines the linguistic landscape in Muscat with specific reference to its public spaces as reflected in street signs and commercial signage. Based on the multilingual theories of Landry and Bourhis (1997) and Cenoz and Gorter (2006), it explores the various ways in which English is localized, re-shaped, and recreated to fit into the multi-ethnic social fabric of the city. As much research suggests, the more Arabized version of English has become increasingly popular in the cosmopolitan structure of the city, providing space for a language which is at once structurally imaginative and colloquially accessible. This aptly reflects a city that is commercially ambitious, has an international resident population, and is aspiring to be a tourist hub.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)231-244
Number of pages14
JournalWorld Englishes
Volume40
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2021
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Language and Linguistics
  • Anthropology
  • Sociology and Political Science
  • Linguistics and Language

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