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Part of
Linguistic Landscape in the Spanish-speaking World
Edited by Patricia Gubitosi and Michelle F. Ramos Pellicia
[Issues in Hispanic and Lusophone Linguistics 35] 2021
► pp. 105–132

Chapter 4
Ideologies in the linguistic landscape

The semiotic construction of the Puerto Rican identity

| Roanoke College
| University of Massachusetts Amherst

Linguistic Landscape (LL) research is a useful tool to uncover language ideologies related to the construction of ethnic identities within a public space. Language in the public space may reflect the sociopolitical encounters and differences that exist within a community and need to be contemplated as part of the larger view of the linguistic behavior of the society. The present chapter focuses on Puerto Rico, a nation where English and Spanish signage share the same space and where there is a long-running discussion on Puerto Rican identity. This chapter aims to examine how Puerto Ricans living on the island perceive their LL and what the place of its flag is in the ongoing discussion of identity in the public arena.

Keywords: linguistic landscape, semiotic landscape, Puerto Rican identity, Puerto Rican flag, linguistic landscape perceptions
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • Sociopolitical context: Puerto Rican political status
  • Language ideologies in the Linguistic Landscape
  • Semiotic landscape
  • The Puerto Rican flag as part of the spatial repertoires in the Puerto Rican LL
  • Puerto Rican flag-variants and symbolism
  • Objectives and research questions
  • Methodology
    • Survey and questions
    • Participants
    • Analysis
  • Results and discussion
  • Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 29 July 2021
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/ihll.35.04ari
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