Language on the Move: The Linguistic Landscape of Peshawar

Abstract

Linguistic Landscape studies symbolic signs in public sphere. Since every language has its distinctive sociocultural features, symbolic signs offer a multitude of explanations and interpretations. Public transport is one of the modern facilities available to the public at large and is an essential part of our living experience. It is a means of travelling used by general public that operate at a scheduled time and charges a certain far. Signs on vehicles are symbolic of how the drivers identify with certain cultural themes and how these signs are representative of public sentiments. These expressions are empowered by the culture and influenced by the recurrent ideas
in social, political, or religious sphere. This study explores the Linguistic Landscape (LL) of Peshawar city by analysing written signs on the public transport of the city; the study focuses on how mobile signs or signs-on-the-move contribute to the construction of the symbolic identity of Peshawar. Three hundred written signs were collected from taxis/cabs, rickshaws, buses, coaches—plying on main routes i.e. University road and General Trunk Road (GT Road). Data were analysed in relation to the symbolic functions of language on public display to answer the research questions of the study. The analysis revealed that while Pashto is the most dominant
language in the complex linguistic landscape of Peshawar, Urdu, English and Arabic were present to varying degrees, contributing to the sociolinguistic make-up of the city. Hindko, however, was missing from the scene. The study concludes that signs on public transport of the city. Hindko, however, was missing from the scene. The study concludes that signs on public transport of the city
are indicative of the complex multilingual nature of city.