语言景观的语言经济学分析——以新马泰为例

尚国文

语言战略研究 ›› 2016, Vol. 1 ›› Issue (4) : 83-91.

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语言战略研究 ›› 2016, Vol. 1 ›› Issue (4) : 83-91.
语言战略研究

语言景观的语言经济学分析——以新马泰为例

  • 尚国文
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An Economics Approach to Linguistic Landscape: Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand as a Case

  • Shang Guowen
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文章历史 +

摘要

语言景观研究关注城市空间中标牌上语言文字的呈现问题,而标牌上的语言选择往往受到多种因素的制约。本文从语言经济学视角出发,探讨新加坡、马来西亚和泰国语言景观构建中涉及的经济因素。新马泰皆为多元种族、多元文化共存的东南亚国家,其官方和私人领域的语言景观中都表现出不同的语言使用规律:政府标牌以单语呈现为主,突出国语或主导语言的地位,而商业标牌上的语言则以双语和多语为常,英语和主要顾客群语言都很普遍。本文以成本与效益、效率与公平、供给与需求、利用价值、工具理性等语言经济学概念作为分析工具,阐释新马泰语言景观构建中的经济动因。分析指出,官方领域看重标牌政治层面的效用,而私人业主则关注标牌的经济收益,这种差异造成标牌上语言选择的不一致。本文的分析表明,语言经济学可以为某些语言政策和规划研究提供有用的分析工具。

Abstract

Linguistic landscape study focuses on the languages/scripts displayed on signage in city space, and the language choice on signs is subject to various factors. Taking language
economics as a perspective, this paper investigates the economic motivations underlying the construction of linguistic landscape in three Southeast Asian countries: Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. Characterized by multilingualism and multiculturalism, all of these countries present very different language use patterns on official and private-related linguistic landscape. Specifi cally, government signs are predominantly monolingual, asserting the supremacy of national or official language, whereas commercial signs are mainly bilingual or multilingual signs, often presenting English and the major consumer language(s). This paper uses some key concepts in language economics (e.g. cost and benefi t, effi ciency and justice, supply and demand, use value and instrumental rationality) as an analytic vehicle to expound the economic factors that contribute to the formation of linguistic landscape in these countries. It is argued that the political utility is the major concern in offi cial sectors, while economic payoff is emphasized by private proprietors, and this discrepancy results in the contrast of language use patterns in government and private signs. The analysis in this paper suggests that language economics can provide a useful tool for certain language planning and policy research.

关键词

语言景观 / 标牌 / 语言经济学 / 新马泰 / 语言多样性

Key words

linguistic landscape / signage / language economics / Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand / linguistic diversity

引用本文

导出引用
尚国文. 语言景观的语言经济学分析——以新马泰为例[J]. 语言战略研究. 2016, 1(4): 83-91
Shang Guowen. An Economics Approach to Linguistic Landscape: Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand as a Case[J]. Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning. 2016, 1(4): 83-91

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基金

本文为国家社科基金项目“中国沿海开放区的语言景观研究”(15BYY050)的阶段性成果。

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