Chapter 9
Risk discourse in the linguistic landscape
Safety information signage onboard metro carriages in Stockholm and
Helsinki
Signs in the linguistic landscape (LL) can be used to both
inform the public and to regulate their actions – functions that are highly relevant
when communicating about risk. This chapter discusses the characteristics of the
risk discourse carried by the linguistic landscape, more specifically the safety
information signage found onboard metro carriages in Stockholm and Helsinki. The
analysis deals with both how such information is presented on the multimodal signs
and what kinds of risks and responsibilities are depicted as part of this
information. The results show that emplacement and the visual design, more
specifically the application of colours, are noteworthy characteristics of risk
discourse present in the LL. Few actual risks are spelled out in the signage and
even if the readers can be given responsibility to act in the face of risks, this
information can be worded in different ways. Considering interpersonal speech
functions, both direct commands and more ambivalent, passive statements can be
found, with some differences in practices between the two cities. Overall, the
situated nature of the safety information signage points to the role of place
semiotics in meaning making within risk discourse, thus highlighting the value of
considering the LL in order to gain a better understanding of risk
communication.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Background
- 2.1Linguistic landscape studies
- 2.2Communicating risk in the linguistic landscape
- 3.The case study
- 4.Analysis
- 4.1Results: Characteristics of the signs
- 4.1.1Emplacement
- 4.1.2Colours
- 4.2Results: Contents of the signs
- 5.Closing remarks
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Notes
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References